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♦ L1BRARY-()F COXGl{i:SS. ♦ 

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JUNITED STATES OF AMi:RlCA.^ 



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^ LOSSING-BARMTT. — 



Arched Rock.— Mackinac. 



THE GREAT LAKES, 



OR 



INLAxND SEAS OF AMERICA; 



EMBRACING A PULL DESCRIPTION OF 



LAKES SUPERIOR, HUROiX, MICHIGAN, ERIE, AND ONTARIO; 

RIVERS ST. MARY, ST. CLAIR, DETROIT, NIAGARA, AND ST. LAWRENCE; 
LAKE WINNIPEG, ETC.: 



TOeSTHEB WITH TUB 



COMMERCE OF THE LAKES, 

AND 

TRIPS THROUGH THE LAKES: 

GIVING A DESCRIPTION OF CITIES, TOWNS, ETC. 

FORMING ALTOGETIIEE 

3. Complete (3mbt 

FOE THE PLEASURE TRAVELLER AND BMiaRANT. 

COMPILED BY J. DISTU-ill^ELL, 

AUTEOE OF THE " PICrrURESQiJB TOURIST," ETa 




NEW YORK: 

PTJBLISHKD BY CHATII^ES SCRIBl^KR, * 
NO. 124 GRAND STJJKET, 



Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1863, by 

JOHN DISTURNELL, 

In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States for the Southern 

District of New York, 



fss\ 



PREFACE. 



In presenting to the Public the present volume, entitled " The Great 
Lakes, or ' Inland Seas' of America," embracing the Magnitude of the 
Lakes — Commerce of the Lakes — Trip through the Lakes — Route from 
Lake Superior to Lake Winnipeg — Tables of Distances, etc., together 
with a Description of Niagara Falls and the St. Lawrence River, the 
Compiler wishes to return his sincere thanks for the liberal patronage 
and the many kind favors received from those who have doubly assisted 
him, by contributing reliable and useful information in regard to the 
many interesting locaUties in which the Great Valley of the Lakes and of 
the St. Lawrence abounds, affording altogether many new and interest- 
ing facts of great importance to the Tourist, who may wish to visit the 
Inland Seas of America for health or pleasure ; the tour being one of 
the most healthy, picturesque, and wonderful — when viewed as a 
whole, from Lake Winnipeg to Lake Superior, and thence to the Gulf 
of St. Lawrence — on the face of the globe. 

In the arrangement and compilation of this work every attempt has 
been made to render the information it contains concise and truthful. 
The Magnitude and also the Commerce of the Lakes are themes of great 
interest, they now being whitened by a large fleet of sail-vessels, in ad- 
dition to the swift steamers and propellers which plough the waters of 
these Great Lakes, transporting annually large numbers of passengers, 
and an immense amount of agricultural and mineral products, to and 
from the different ports. 



iv PREFACE. 

Lake Superior, the Ultima Thule of many travellers, can now be 
easily reached by lines of steamers starting from Cleveland and Detroit, 
running through Lake Huron and the St. Mary's River ; or from Chi- 
cago and Milwaukee, passing through Lake Michigan and the Straits 
of Mackinac. All these routes are fully described, ia connection with 
the Collmgwood Route, and Route to Green Bay ; affording altogether 
ample and cheap opportunities to visit every portion of the Upper 
Lakes and their adjacent shores. 

The most noted places of Resort are Mackinac, Saut Ste. Marie, Muni- 
sing, near the Pictured Rocks, Marquette, Houghton, Copper Harbor, 
Ontonagon, Bayfield, and Superior City. If to these should be added 
a Trip to the North Shore of Canada, visiting Michipicoten Island, Fort 
William, and other interesting localities — passing Isle Royale, attached 
to the State of Michigan — the intelligent Tourist would see new wonders 
of almost indescribable interest, while inhaling the pure atmosphere of 
this whole region of Lake Country. Among the Mineral Regions may 
be found objects of interest sufficient to induce the tourist to spend 
some weeks or months in exploration, hunting, and fishing ; and if, added 
to this, should be included a journey to the Upper Mississippi Valley, 
or Lake Winnipeg, an entire season could be profitably employed. 

For a full description of the Lower St. Lawrence, Lake Champlain, 
Saguenay River, etc., the Traveller is referred to the "Picturesque 
Tourist," issued a few yc^rs since. J. D. 

New York, July, 1863. 



CONTENTS. 

PART I. 

Page. 

^lasriiitnde of the I^akes or " Inland Seas."— Lake Superior, 13 
Lake Michigan — Green Bay — Lake Huron — Georgian Bay — Lake St. Clair — 

Lake Erie, 14 

Lake Ontario — Tributaries of the Lakes, &c., 15 

Lake and River Navigation, 16 

Altitudes — Topography and Meteorology, H 

Upper Lakes— The White Fish, 18 

Fish of the Upper Lakes, 19 

Physical Character of the Mississippi Basin— Physical (Character of the 

St. Lawrence, 20 

Dimensions of the Great Lakes — Progress of Development, 21 

Lunar Tidal Wave in the Great Lakes, 22 

Remarkable Phenomena — Rising and Falling of the Waters, 24 

PART II. 

Commerce of the Lakes. — Early History, 25-2o 

First Steamboat on Lake Erie, 29 

Tonnage of the Lake Districts in the United States 30 

Commerce of Buffalo, 1864 — Canadian Inland and Ocean Navigation 31 

New York State Canals 32 

Imports of Breadstuffs into Great Britain — Fisheries, &c 33 

Lumber and Staves — Copper of Lake Superior 34 

Business on Lake Superior — Shipments of Copper 35 

Iron and Iron Ore — Shipments, &c 36 

Iron and Iron Ore of Lake Superior 37-38 

Peninsula Railroad of Michigan 39 

Canal Commerce — Erie Canal 40-41 

Trade and Commerce of Chicago 42-43 

Product of Breadstuffs for Exportation — Shipments of Flour and Grain 44 

Pork and Beef Packing — Beef Cattle 45 

PART in. 

Trip Through the L.aRes.— Buffalo, 46 

Buffalo to Detroit — North Shore Route, 47 

Port Colborne — Port Dover — Port Burwell — Port Stanley, &c., 48 

Point Pelee — Detroit River — Amherstburg — Sandwich — Windsor — &c., 49 

Route from Niagara Falls to Hamilton and Detroit. — St. Catharines — 

Dundas, &c., 60 

Paris — Woodstock — Ingersoll — London — Chatham, Ac, 61 



VI CONTENTS. 

Buffalo to Goderich, C. W. — Dunville — Brantford, &c., 52 

Lioilerich — Table of Distances from Buflalo to Toledo, 53 

Buffalo to Cleveland, Toledo, &c. — Dunkirk, Barcelona, &c., 54 

Erie — Conneaut — Ashtabula — Fairport, Painesville, &c., 55 

Cleveland — Perry Monument, . 56 

Steamboat Route from Cleveland to Detroit, 57 

Black Ri^er — Vermilion — Huron — Sandusky — Toledo, &c., 58 

Railroads Diverging from Toledo — Perry sburgh, 59 

Maumee City — Monroe — Trenton, &c. — Route Around Lake Erie, 60 

Ohio and Erie Canals — Fort Wayne, 61 

Table of Distances from Cleveland and Detroit to Superior, 62 

Detroit — Railroads, &c., 63 

Detroit River — He la Perche, * 64 

Detroit to Milwaukee — Increase of Lake Cities, 65 

Grand Rapids — Grand Haven, &c., 66 

Trip from Detroit to Mackinac, Chicago, &c. — Trip Across Lake Michigan, . . 67 

Ashley, Algonac — Newport — St. Clair, &c., 68 

Southerland — Port Huron — Fort Gratiot — Sarnia, &c., 69 

Route from Sarnia to Goderich, &c. — Kincardine — Saugeen, 70 

Route from Port Huron to Saginaw City — East Saginaw, &c, 7-1 

Lake Huron — Saginaw Bay — Tawas Bay, «fec., 72 

Lower Peninsula of Michigan — Alpena — Duncan, &c., . . • 73 

Old Mackinac — Grand Traverse City — Manistee — Grand Haven, &c., 74 

Steamboat Route from Detroit to Green Bay, &c., 75 

Green Bay — Fort Howard — Oconto, &c., 76 

Nenomee City — Pensaukee — Peshtigo — Gena, &c., 77 

Green Bay to Fond Du Lac. — DePere — Kaukauna — Appleton — Neenah — 

Oshkosh, &c., 77-78 

Fond Du Lac — Meeting of the Waters, 79 

Ports of Lake Michigan. — Michigan City, &c., 79 

New Buffalo — St Joseph — Niles — South Haven — Holland, &c., 80 

Chicago. — Railroad Routes, &c., 80-81 

Distances from Chicago to Mackinac, &c., • 82 

Naval Vessels on the Lakes. — Mississippi and Michigan Canal, 83 

Route from Chicago to Mackinac and Saut Ste. Marie, 84 

Waukegan — Kenosha — Racino — Milwaukee, 85 

Granaries of Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin, 86 

Sheyboygan — Manitouwoc — Kewaunee — Ahneepee, &c., 87 

Manitou Islands— Fox Islands— Beaver Islands— Strait of Mackinac, &c., 88 

Mackinac— The Town and Fortress, 89 

Lover's Leap — Altitudes of Various Points, 90 

Arched Rock — Sugar Loaf, &c., 91 

Island of Mackinac, 91-92 

Round Island — St. Martin's Bay — Doint de Town — St. Joseph's Island — 

Lime Island, &c 93 

Nebish Island — Sugar Island— Lake George — Church's Landing, Sec, 94 

St Mary's River— Description of 95 

Saut Ste. Marie — Fort Brady, 96 

St, Mary'g SUiip Canal — Boscription •f , 97 



CONTENTS. Vll 

Distances trom Collingwood to Saut Ste. Marie — Opening and Closing of 

Navigation, 98 

CoUingwood — Fisheries, &c., 99 

Georgian Bay — Collingwood to Saut Ste. Marie — Penetanguishene, &c., . . . . 100 

Owen's Sound — Lonely Island — Smith's Bay — She-ba-wa-nah-ning, &c., 101 

Man-i-tou-wah-ning — Little Curreut — Bruce Mines, &c., 102 

Trip from Collingwood to Fort William, C. W., 103-105 

Distances Around Lake Superior, 106 

Grand Pleasure Excursion Around Lake Superior, 106 

Keweenaw Point — Light Houses, &c., 107 

White Fish Point— Point au Sable, 108 

Pictured Rocks— The Chapel, &c., 109-113 

Lake Superior Region — Grand Island — Munising, &c., 114. 

Remarkablk Phenomena — Monumental Rock, 115-116 

Rise and Fall of the Waters of Lake Superior, Ill 

Marquette — Iron Mountain, 118 

Trout Fishing — Bay de Noquet and Marquette Railroad, 119 

Granite Island — Huron Isles — L'A^nce — Portage Entry — Houghton, 120 

Portage Lake — Hancockr— Keweenaw Point, 121 

Copper Harbor — Agate Harbor — Eagle Harbor — Eagle River— Ontonagon. . , 122 

Lake Superior — Its Climate and Health-Restoring Influence 123 

La Pointe — Madeline Island, 124 

Bayfleld — Ashland — Twelve Apostles' Islands, 125 

Healthy Influence of Lake Superior, 126 

Superior City— Table of Distances — Fond du Lac, 127 

St. Louis River — Portland — Clifton — Buchanan — Encampment — Beaver Bay — 

Pigeon Bay and River, 128 

Northern Shore of Lake Superior — Isle Royale, 129 

Fisheries of Lake Superior — Trout Fishing, 130 

Vessels Lost in the Lake Superior Trade, 131 

The Lakes— Land of the Free, &c., 132 

Trip Along the North Shore of Lake Superior, 133 

Taquamenon Bay — Mamainse Point — Montreal Island — Michipicoten Harbor, 133 

Michipicoten Island — Caribou Island — Otter Bay — Slate Island, 134 

Copper Regions of Lake Superior — North Shore, 134 

Fort William, C. W. — McKay's Mountain — Kaministiquai River, 135 

Thunder Bay — Pie Island — Black Bay — Neepigon Bay — Island of St. Ignace, 136, 

PART IV. 

Route from Lake Superior to I^ake IVinnipeff, 

Dog Lake — Savan or Prarie Portage, &c., , 13t 

Savan River — Raiuy Lake and River — Lake of the Woods, .,,,.,...,,...,,. 138 

V/innipeg River — Lake Wiunipeg, , ^ • i ^ • •. t • 139 

Lakes in the Valley of the Saskatchewan — Red River Qf the North,, , , 140 

Red River Settlement, 1^1 

Distanoes from Fort Williftm to Fort A]e:xander, Fort Garry, 4po., 142 



vill, CONTENTS. 

PART V. 

Railroad and ISteamboat Route from RuflTalo to l^ia^ara 

Fall§, Toronto &c 143 

"Waterloo — Grand Island — Navy Island — Chippewa, 143 

Falls of Niagara — Drummondsville — Battle of Lundy's Lane, 144 

Clifton — Queenston — Brock's Monument, 145 

Fort George — Fort Niagara — Niagara River, 146 

Grand Island — Tonawanda — Schlosser's Landing — The Rapids — Goat Island, 147 

Goat Island Bridge— Bath Island, &c., 148 

Niagara — Horse-Shoe Fall, &c., 149-150 

Whirlpool and Rapids — Village of Niagara Falls — Niagara City, 151 

Suspension Bridge and the Cateract and Rapids of Niagara, 152-154 

Rate of Charges at Niagara Falls — Lewiston — Youngstown, 155-156 

Route Around Lake Ontario, 156 

Lake Ontario, 157 

Fort Niagara — Mouth of Niagara River, 158 

Steamboat Route from Lewiston to Oswego, Kingston and Ogdensburgh, 159 

Steamboat Route from Lewiston to Toronto, Kingston, Montreal, &e 159 

Alphabetical List of the Principal Ports on the Great Lakes — Situation, 

Temnerature. &c., .* lGO-162 

Rapids of the St. Lawrence— Thousand Islands, 1 62 



PART YI. 

Appendix. — Father Marquette and his Discovery of the Mississippi 

River 163-164 

Discovery and Settlement of Mackinac — Island of Mackinac 165-166 

Visit to the Mines of Portage Lake 167-168 

Lake Superior Copper Mining Companies — Iron Mining Companies, &c. . .169-171 
Mineral Wealth of Lake Superior 172 

Advertisements. — Lake Superior Line Steamers 173-174 

Goodrich's Lake Superior Line — Steamboats on Lake Michigan 175 

Chicago and Northwestern Railway — Routes to Green Bay, Upper Missis- 
sippi, &c 176-177 

Illinois Central Railroad — Chicago to Cairo, &c 178 

Grand Trunk Railway and Steamers — Sarnia Line — Royal Mail Line 179-180 

Detroit and Milwaukee Railroad and Steamship Line 181 

Milwaukee, Prairie du Chien, and St. Paul Railway 182 

American Express Steamers — Lake Ontario and River St. Lawrence 183 

New York Central Railroad — Albany to Buffalo and Niagara Falls 184 

Great Western Railway of Canada 185 

Hotels, and Business Advertisements 186-192 



TABLE OF DISTANCES, 

From Boston, New York, PliiludclpHia and Baltimore, to 
Niagara Fall§, BiifTaio, Cleveland. &,c. 

Miles. 

1. Boston to Albany, via Western Railroad of Massachusetts, 200 

Albany to Xiagara Falls, via New York Central Railroad, 306 — 506 

Niagara Falls to Detroit, Mich., via Great Western Railway of Canada,. 230 — 736 

2. New York to Albany, via Hudson River Railroad, 145 

Albany to Buffalo, via New York Central Railroad, 298 — 443 

3. New York to Buffalo, via Erie RaUivay, 432 

Buffalo to Cleveland, Ohio, via. Lake Shore Railroad, 183 — 615 

4. New York to Harrisburg, via N. J. Central Railway, 182 

Harrisburg to Pittsburgh, via Pennsylvvnia Central Railroad, 249 — 431 

Pittsburgh to Cleveland, via Pittsburgh and Cleveland Raikuay, 150 — 581 

5. Philadelhhia to Pittsburgh, via Pennsylvania Central Railroad, 356 

Pittsburgh to Cleveland, via Pittsburgh and Cleveland Railroad,... .-. .150 — 506 

6. Philadelphia to Elmira, \'\% Philaddphia and Elmira Railway, 275 

Elmira to Buffalo, via Erie Railway, 159 — 434 

7. Baltimore to Harrisburg, via Northern Central Railway, 85 

Harrisburg to Elj-hra, N. Y. " • " " 171—256 

Elmira to Buffalo, via Erie Railway, 159 — 415 

8. Baltimore to Pittsburgh, via Pennsylvania Central Railroad, 334 

Pittsburgh to Cleveland, Ohio, via Pittsburgh and Cleveland Railroad,. 150 — 484 
Cleveland to Detroit, Mich., via Steamboat Route, 120 — 604 

Boston to New York, Railroad Route, 236 

New York to Philadelphia, Railroad Route, 90 — 326 

Philadelphia to Baltimore, *' " 98 — 424 

Baltimore to Washington, " " -^0 — i^-^ 



RAILROAD AND STEAMBOAT ROUTE, 
From New York to Lake Superior. 

STOPPING PLACES. Total Miles. Usual Time. 

Hours, 

Nb-w York to Albany, by Railroad l45 5 

Albany to Buffalo, " 298 443 10 

Albany to Niagara Falls, " 304 

Buffalo to Cleveland, Ohio, " 183 626 7 

Cleveland to Detroit, by Steamboat, 120 T46 8 

Detroit to Port Huron, " IB 819 6 

Port Huron to Saut Ste. Marie " 277 1,096 24 

Saut Ste. Marie to Marquette " 160 1,256 14 

Marquette to Ontonagon, *' 226 1,482 20 

Ontonagon to Bayfield, " 78 1,560 t 

Bayfield to Superior City, " 80 1,640 t 

Total Running Time, 4 days and 12 hours. 



Usual Fare from New York to Bufifalo $ 9 35 

•* " New York to Cleveland, 14 35 

" " New York to Detroit, Mich 16 35 

Detboit to Lake Superior and Return 



Iflarquette in 1864. 

Extract from the Lake Superior Mining Journal, December, 1864. 



During the present year our town and 
vicinity have made steady and substan- 
tial advance in all its interests. Our iron 
— the great staple of the district, the in- 
dex of civilization on the dial-plate of 
time — has become more widely known, 
and secured the investment of nearly 
$4,000,000 of capital in our county, large- 
ly increasing the valuation of real estate 
as well as all other property. Tliirteen 
new mines have been opened, out of 
which only one has afforded so poor a 
prospect as to be abandoned. 

We have shipped 248,000 gross tons of 
iron ore from our docks, and supplied 
about 25,000 tons to the several furnaces, 
making a product of nearly 300,000 net 
tons for the district. The price of this 
ore on the docks has ranged from five 
dollars to seven and one-half dollars per 
ton, or an aggregate valuation of $1,5 00,- 
000. The sum total of shipments for the 
several mines for the season have been 
as follows: 

Jackson 63,223 gross tons. 

Lake Superior 93.929 " 

Pittsburgh and Lake Angeline. . 19,000 " 

Cleveland 54,148 " 

Our charcoal pig furnaces have become 
a very valuable adjunct to our iron mi- 
ning. "We have now seven stacks com- 
pleted, with a capacity to consume 45,000 
tons of ore next season, and all the " signs 
of the times" indicate that they will be 
fully employed. The manufacture of 
charcoal pig has this year proved one of 
the very best investments in the county 
— as the statements of the profits of the 
Morgan Furnace, which appeared in our 
columns a few weeks ago, will show — a 
net profit of 220 per cent, in ten months. 

In addition to our iron business, the 
last year has developed a new and valua- 



ble interest in two parallel ranges of hills 
which extend across that part of the Up- 
per Peninsula lying between Presque Isle 
— three miles north of Marquette — and 
the head of Keweenaw Bay. This is 
known as the Gold and Silver Lead Region, 

The geology and topography of this dis- 
trict are quite peculiar, and we think the 
former not yet well known. As far as we 
have seen it ourselves, it consists prin- 
cipally of metamorphic slate — chloritic, 
talcose, silicious, and sometimes horn- 
blendic. The formation is very irregular, 
and frequently cut through by granite 
and trap-dykes. It consists for the most 
part of ivvo series of small parallel ridges 
running in a northerly and southerly di- 
rection, which series of ridges constitute 
two parallel hill chains extending in a 
west-northwest and east-southeast direc- 
tion across the above-mentioned part of 
our country. These ridges are quite 
abundant in quartz veins, which have 
been found to carry auriferous and argen- 
tiferous ores. 

Agriculturally, we have not yet at- 
tracted much attention. But now, the 
days of our infancy having passed, and 
the word having gone forth that we are 
to live, it is beginning to be understood 
that we afford one of the best markets in 
the States for all kinds of produce. Our 
soil, too, contrary to an opinion generally 
received a few years ago, is proving rich 
for agricultural purposes. The following 
products for this year are beheved to be 
very near the exact figures for the county. 
We expect to be able, however, to give 
our readers a carefully prepared agricul- 
tural report for this year, compared with 
the products of last year, compiled by- 
Sidney Adams, Esq., — the most extensive 
farmer in the county. 



COPPER AND IRON ORE. 



There were raised 20,000 bushels of 
potatoes, 3,000 bushels of ruta bagas, 200 
tons of hay. Some estimate of the prob- 
able amount of land cultivated in potatoes 
can be made from Mr. Adams's farm. He 
planted seventeen acres, and dug nineteen 
hundred bushels. The cost of cultivating 
the land was $850, and the value of the 
crop $2,850, making a clear gain of $2,000. 

Mr. (jrcorge Rubleiu informed us a few 
weeks ago that from about one acre of 
land he had this year raised three hun- 
dred bushels of this valuable crop. This 
was a large yield, but there no longer re- 
mains a question that capital invested 
here in agricultural pursuits will return 
as large a dividend as in any enterprise 
on the Lake. 

There is every reason to believe that 
wiieat, oats, hay, potatoes, turnips, and 
other garden vegetables ; apples, pears, 
cherries, and many other fruits, can be 
raised here abundantly. 

The climate of Lake Superior is well 
adapted to mining and manufacturing iron 
upon a large scale. The air is pure, cool, 
and bracing, and men labor without fa- 
tigue or depression of spirits ; fevers of 
every description are unknown, and even 
contagious diseases lose their virulence 
in that invigorating atmosphere. It is 



by no means the hyperborean and inhos- 
pitable region which it is by many sup- 
posed to be. Agricultural products which 
can be successfully raised in Northern 
New England and Lower Canada, can be 
raised in the Lake Superior region as 
well. 

The former is a theory of thermomet- 
rical observations for two years, ending 
September, 1859, taken at Marquette, and 
reported to the Smithsonian Institute ; it 
will serve to dispel any extravagant no- 
tions, as to the severity of the climate : 



-1S57-S- 



-1858-9- 



Sept. 

Oct. 

Nov. 

Dec. 

Jan. 

Feb. 

Mar. 

April 

May 

June 

July 

Aujr. 



High- Low- 
est, est. 

33° 

25 

1 

5 

3 

12 

12 

19 

28 

89 

44 

40 



Mean of 
the month. 

58.15-100° 

45.11 

2S.87 

28.16 

25. 5S 

12.72 

28.(58 

37.19 

44.75 

59.87 

6^3.68 

63.55 



High- 

est. 

1 83° 



44 

38 
40 
41 
57 
62 
84 
81 
93 
97 



Low- 
est. 

40° 
36 
15 

3 

9 
10 

1 
12 
34 
31 
40 
40 



Mean of 
the month. 

56.56-100* 

45.38 

31.09 

24.60 

21.27 

19.76 

30.89 

33.79 

50.54 

54.18 

65.31 

64.17 



Mean for the year 

" " Autumn. . 

" Winter . . 

" " Spring . . . 

" " Summer . 



1857-8. 
.41.35 
.44.04 
.22.14 
36.87 
.62.36 



1858-9. 

41.45t 
44.34 

21.8T' 
88.8r 
61.22. 



Copper and Iron Ore, Toll§, &c. 

Statsment of Copper and Iron Ore; also. Iron in bars, Ac, passing through St Mary's Ship Canal, 

from 1855 to 1864 inclusive. 



Copper 

Iron ore 

Iron fn bars, &,c. 



Copper 

Iron ore 

Iron in bars, &c. 



Tons, 



Tons, 



1855 

8,199 
1,447 

I860 
8,614 
116,998 
5,660 



1856 

5,727 

11,597 

1,040 

1861 

7,645 

45,837 

4,194 



1857 

5,760 

26,184 

1,325 

1862 

6,881 

113,014 

6,438 



1858 

6.944 

31,035 

2,59T 

1863 

10,043 

181,567 

8,000 



1859 

7,805 

65,769 

6,030 

1864 

8,562 

236.166 

12,951 



Statkment, showing the Receipts for Toll on St Mary's Ship Canal. 



1855 

Beseipts $4,874 



1856 

7,594 



1857 

9,406 



1858 

10,883 



1859 

16,941 



I860 

24,477 



1861 

16 672 



1862 
21,607 



1863 
80,574 



18S4 

85,714 



MAGNITUDE OF THE LAKES, OR " INLAND SEAS." 




POTHING- but a 
\oyage over all of 
; the great bodies of 
water forming the 
" Inland Seas," 
can furnish the 
tourist, or scientific 
explorer, a just 
idea of the extent, 
depth, and clear- 
ness of the waters 
of the Great Lakes of America, together 
with the healthy influence, fertility, and 
romantic beauty of the numerous islands, 
and surrounding shores, forming a circuit 
of about 4,000 miles, with an area of 
90,000 square miles, or about twice the 
extent of the State of New York — ex- 
tending through eight degrees of latitude, 
and sixteen degrees of longitude — this 
region embracing the entire nortli half of 
the temperate zone, where the purity of 
the atmosphere vies with tlie purity of 
these extensive waters, or " Inland Seas," 
being connected by navigable rivers or 
straits. 

The States, washed by the Great Lakes, 
are New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Mich- 
igan, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minne- 
sota, and Canada West — the boundary 
line between the United States and the 
British Possessions running through the 
centre of Lakes Superior. Huron, St. 
Clair, Erie, and Ontario, together with 
the connecting rivers or straits, and down 
the St. Lawrence River to the 45th paral- 
lel of latitude. From thence the St. 
Lawrence flows in a northeast direction 
through Canada into the Gulf of St. Law- 



rence. The romantic beauty of the rapids 
of this noble stream, and its majestic flow 
through a healthy and rich section of 
country, is unsurpassed for grand lake 
and river scenery. 

I^ake Superior, the largest of the 
Inland Seas, lying between 46'' 30' and 
49° north latitude, and between 84* 30' 
and 92° 30' west longitude from Green- 
wich, is situated at a height of 600 feet 
above the Gulf of St. Lawrence, from 
which it is distant about 1,500 miles by 
the course of its outlet and the St. Law- 
rence river. It is 460 miles long from 
east to west, and 1*70 miles broad in its 
widest part, with an average breadth of 
85 miles ; the entire circuit being about 
1,200 miles. It is 800 feet in greatest 
depth, extending 200 feet below the level 
of the ocean. Estimated area, 31,500 
square miles, being by far the largest 
body of fresh water on the face of the 
globe — celebrated alike for its sparkling 
purity, romantic scenery, and healthy in- 
fluence of its surrounding climate. About 
one hundred rivers and creeks are said to 
flow into the lake, the greatest part being 
small streams, and but few navigable ex- 
cept for canoes, owing to numerous falls 
and rapids. It discharges its waters east- 
ward, by the strait, or river St. Mary, 60 
miles long, into Lake Huron, which lies 
26 feet below, there being about 20 feet 
descent at the Saut Ste Marie, which is 
overcome by means of two locks and a 
ship canaL Its outlet, is a most lovely 
and romantic stream, embosoming a num- 
ber of large and fertile islands, covered 
with a rich foliage. 



14 



MAGNITIDE OF THE LACES. 



1L.ake Iffichig^an, lying 576 ft. above 
the sea, is 320 miles long, 85 miles broad, 
and 700 feet deep; area, 22,000 square 
miles. This lake lies wholly within the 
oonlines of the United States. It pre- 
sents a large expanse of water, with but 
few islands, except near its entrance into 
the Straits of Mackinac, through which it 
discharges its surplus waters. The strait 
is 30 or 40 miles in length, and discharges 
its accumulated waters into Lake Huron, 
on nearly a level with Lake Michigan. 
At the north end of the lake, and in the 
Straits, are several large and romantic 
islands, affording delightful resorts. 

Oreeii Bay^ a most beautiful ex- 
panse of water, conlaining several small 
islands, lies at about the same elevation 
as I-ake Michigan; it is 100 miles long, 
20 miles broad, and 60 feet deep ; area, 
2,000 square miles. This is a remarkably 
pure body of water, presenting lovely 
shores, surrounded by a fruitful and 
healthy section of countr3^ 

liUkc Huron, lying at a height of 
574 feet above the sea, is 250 miles long, 
100 miles broad, and 7&0 feet greatest 
depth; area, 21,000 square miles. This 
lake is almost entirely free of islands, 
presenting a large expanse of pure water. 
Its most remarkable feature is Saginaw 
Bay, lying on its western border. The 
waters of this lake are now whitened by 
the sails of commerce, it being the great 
thoroughfare to and from Lakes Michigan 
and Superior. 

Oeorg:ia» Bay, lying northeast of 
Lake Huron, and of the same altitude, 
being separated by islands and headlands, 
lies wholly within the confines of Canada. 
It is 140 miles long. 55 miles broad, and 
500 feet in depth; area, 5,000 square 
miles. In the Nortli Chaanel, which com- 
municates with St. Mary's River, and in- 
Georgian Bay, are innumerable islands 
and islets, forming an interesting and ro- 
mantic feature to this pure body of water. 
All the above bodies of water, into which 



are discharged a great number of streams, 
find an outlet by the River *S^^. Clair, com- 
mencing at the foot of Lake Huron, 
where it has only a width of 1,000 feci., 
and a depth of from 20 to 60 feet, flowing 
with a rapid current downward, 38 miles, 
into 

Lake St. Clair, which is 25 miles 
long and about as many broad, with '^ 
small depth of water ; the most difficui 
navigation being encountered in passing 
over ^'' St. Clair Flats,^^ where only about 
12 feet of water is afforded. Dttroit River, 
27 miles in length, is the recipient of all 
the above waters, fiowing southward 
through a fine section of country into 

Lake £]rie, the fourth great lake 
of this immense chain. This latter lake 
again, at an elevation above the sea of 
564 feet, 250 miles long, 60 miles broad, 
and 204 feet at its greatest deptli, but, on 
an average, considerably less than 100 
feet deep, discharges its surplus waters by 
the Niagara River and Falls, into Lake 
Ontario, 330 feet below; 51 feet of this 
descent being in the rapids immediately 
above the Falls, 160 feet at the Falls 
themselves, and the rest chiefly in the 
rapids between the Falls and the mouth 
of the river, 35 miles below Lake Erie. 
This is comparatively a shallow body of 
water; and the relative depths of the 
great series of lakes may be illustrated 
by saying, that the surplus waters poured 
from the vast ha-sivs of Superior, Michi- 
gan, and Huron, flow across the ^^'//e of Erie 
into the doe}) boni'vX Ontario. Lake Erie 
is reputed to be the only one of the series 
in which any current is perceptible. The 
fact, if it is one, is usually ascribed to 
its shallowness; but the vast volume of 
its outlet — the Niagara River — with its 
strong current, is a much more favorable 
cause than the small depth of its water, 
which may be far more appropriately ad- 
duced as the reason why the navigation 
is obstructed by ice much more than either 
of the other great lakes. - -^ 



LAKE ONTARIO TRIBUTARIES OF THE LAKES. 



13 



The ascertained temperature in the mid- 
dle of Lake Erie, August, 1845, was tem- 
perature of air 76*^ Fahrenheit, at noon — 
water at surface 73*^ — at bottom 53*^. 

Lake Oaitario, the fifth and last 
of the Great Lakes of America, is eleva- 
ted 234 feet above tide- water at Three 
Rivers on the St. Lawrence ; it is 180 
miles long, 60 miles broad, 600 feet deep. 

Thus ba-sin succeeds basin, like the locks 
of a great canal, the whole length of 
waters from Lake Superior to the Gulf of 
St. Lawrence being rendered navigable 
for vessels of a large class by means of 
the Welland and St. Lawrence canals — 
thus enabling a loaded vessel to ascend or 
descend 600 feet above the level of the 
ocean, or tide-water. Of these five great 
lakes, Lake Superior has by far the larg- 
est area, and Lake Ontario has the least, 
havmg a surface only about one- fifth of 
that of Lake Superior, and being some- 
what less in area than Lake Erie, although 
not much less, if any, in the circuit of its 
shores. Lake Ontario is the safest body 
of water for navigation, and Lake Erie 
the most dangerous. The lakes of great- 
est interest to the tourist or scientific 
traveler are Ontario, Huron, together with 
Georgian Bay and North Channel, and 
Lake Superior. The many picturesque 
islands and headlands, together with the 
pure dark green waters of the Upper 
Lakes, form a most lovely contrast during 
the summer and autumn months. 

The altitude of the land which forms 
the water-shed of the Upper Lakes does 



not exceed from 600 to 2,500 feet above 
the level of the ocean, while the altitudo 
of the land which forms the water-shed 
of Lake Cham plain and the lower tribu- 
taries of the St. Lawrence River rises 
from 4,000 to 5,000 above the level of the 
sea or tide-water, in the States of Ver- 
mont and New York. 

The divide which separates the waters 
of the Gulf of Mexico, from those flow- 
ing northeast into tlie St. Lawrence, do 
not in some places exceed ten or twenty 
feet above the level of Lakes Michigan 
and Superior ; in fact, it is said that Lake 
Michigan, when under the influence of 
high water and a strong northerly wind, 
discharges some of its surplus waters into 
the Illinois River, and thence into the 
Mississippi and Gulf of Mexico — so low 
is the divide at its southern terminus. 

When we consider the magnitude of 
these Great Lakes, the largest body of 
fresh water on the globe, being connected 
by navigable Straits, or canals, we may 
quote with emphasis the words of an 
English writer: "How little are they 
aware, in Europe, of the extent of com- 
merce upon these 'Inland Seas,' whose 
coasts are now hned with flourishing 
towns and cities ; whose waters are plow- 
ed with magnificent steamers, and hund- 
reds of vessels crowded with merchandise I 
Even the Americans themselves are not 
fully aware of the rising importance of 
these great lakes, as connected with the 
Far West. 



TRIBUTARIES OF THE GREAT LAKES AND ST. LAWP.ENCE 

RIVER. 



Unlike the tributaries of the Mississip- 
pi, the streams falling into the Great Lakes 
or the St. Lawrence River are mostly 
rapid, and navigable only for a short dis- 
tance from their mouths. 



The following are the principal Rivers 
that are navigable for any considerable 
length : 



16 



MAGNITUDE OF THE LAKES. 



AMERICAN SIDE. 



Miles. 



St. Louis River, Min Superior to Fond du Lac 20 

Foic, or Xeenah, Wis Green Bay to Lake Winnebago* 36 

St. Joseph, Mich St. Joseph to Niles 26 

Grand River, " Grand Haven to Grand Rapids 40 

Muskegon, " Muskegon to Newaygo 40 

Saginaw " Saginaw Bay to Upper Saginaw 26 

Maumee, Ohio Maumee Bay to Perrysburgh 18 

Genesee, N. Y Charlotte to Rochester 6 

CANADIAN SIDE. MileS. 

Thames Lake St. Clair to Chatham 24 

Ottawa La Chine to Carillon 40 

" (By means of locks to Ottawa City)\. . . 70 

Richelieu or Sorel Sorel to Lake Champlain (by locks) 15 

Saguenay Tadusac to Chicoutimi 10 

(thence to Lake St. John, 50 m.) 



LAKE AND RIVER NAVIGATION, 



Greatest Av. 
breadth, breadth. 
170 85 



FROM FOND DU LAC, LAKE SUPERIOR, TO THE GULF OF ST 

Lakes, Kivers, etc. '^ mfles ^" 

Superior 460 

St. Mary's River 60 

Michigan 320 

Green Bay 100 

Strait of Mackinac 40 

Huron 250 

North Channel 150 

Georgian Bay 140 



LAWRENCE. 

El. above 
sea. 



St. Clair River. 

Lake St. Clair* 

Detroit River 

Erie 

Niagara River 

Ontario 

St. Lawrence River. 

Lake St. Francis, foot Long Saut. . . 
! Lake St. Louis, foot Cascade Rapids 

At Montreal 

Lake St. Peter 

Tide- water at Three Rivers 

At Quebec 



38 

25 

21 

250 

35 

180 

160 



5 
85 
25 
20 
100 
20 
55 

H 
25 

3 
10 

3 

58 

100 



2 

58 

18 

10 

10 

10 

40 

1 

18 

1 

40 

1 

40 

2 

4 

5 

3 

12 

1 

1 



10 



20 



20 



20 
10 
10 



Depth 
in feet. 

800 
to 100 

100 

100 
to 200 

100 
to 200 

500 
to 60 
to 20 
to 60 

200 

600 



600 ft. 

516 " 

576 " 

575 " 

574 " 

574 " 

574 " 

568 " 

564 " 

234 " 

142 " 

58 " 

13 " 

6 " 

" 

" 



Total miles navigation 2,835 



♦ By means of 17 locks, overcoming an elevation of 170 feet. 

♦ T^K*"' 'l?/'^?^'"" J?'^ steamers extends 150 miles above Ottawa City, by means of portages and locks, 
inc At C /air_^lats which have to be passed by all large steamers and sail vessels running from 

J^kc hric to the Upper Lakes, now affords twelve feet of water, the ship channel being very narrow 
and winding, whore stands a light and buoys to guide the mariner 



ALTITUDES TOPOGRAPHY AND METEOROLOGY. 



11 



ALTITUDE OF VARIOUS POINTS ON THE SHORES OF LAKE 

SUPERIOR. 

LocALiTiBS. Above Lake Superior. Above the Sca. 

Lake Superior 000 feet. 600 feet. 

Point Iroquois, South Shore 350 " 950 " 

Gros Cap, C. W., North Shore '700 " 1,300 " 

Grand Sable, South Shore 345 " 945 " 

Pictured Rocks, " 200 " 800 " 

Iron Mountains, " 850 " 1,450 " 

Quincy Copper Mine, Portage Lake 550 " 1,150 " 

Mount Houghton, near Keweenaw Point 1,000 " 1,600 " 

Porcupine Mountains, South Shore 1,380 " 1,980 *' 

Isle Royale, Michigan 300 " 900 " 

Minnesota Mountains (estimated) 1,200 " 1,800 " 

Michipicoten Island, C. W 800 " 1,400 " 

Pie Island, " 760 " 1,360 " 

St. Ignace (estimated) " 1,200 " 1,800 " 

McKay's Mountain, " 1,000 " 1,600 " 

Thunder Cape, ♦* 1,350 " 1,950 *• 



TOPOGRAPHY AND METEOROLOGY. 



"The mountains of the region along 
the south shore of Lake Superior, consist 
of two granite belts in the northwest, the 
Huron Mountains to the southward, a trap 
range starting from the head of Kewee- 
naw Point, and running west and south- 
west into Wisconsin, the Porcupine Moun- 
tains, and the detrital rocks. The Huron 
Mountains in places attain an elevation of 
1,200 feet above the Lake. The highest 
elevation attained by the Porcupine Moun- 
tains is 1,380 feet. 

" Meteorological observations were in- 
stituted by order of the Government at 
three military posts in the District, viz. : 
Forts Wilkins (Copper Harbor), Brady, 
and Mackinac. From these observations 
it appears that the mean annual tempera- 
ture of Fort Brady is about one degree 
lower than that of Fort Wilkins, although 
the latter post is nearly a degree further 
north. This diiference arises from the 
insular position of Keweenaw Point, 
which is surrounded on three sides by 
wat-^r. The climate at Fart Brady, dur- 
2 



ing the whole season, corresponds in a 
remarkable degree with that of St. Peters- 
burg. The temperature of the region ia 
very favorable to the growth of cereals. 
The annual ratio of fair days at Fort 
Brady is 168; of cloudy days, 77; rainy 
days, 71; snowy days, 47. 

" The temperature of the water of Lake 
Superior during the summer, a fathom or 
two below the surface, is but a few de- 
grees above the freezing point. In the 
western portion, the water is much colder 
than in the eastern — the surface flow be- 
coming warmer as it advances toward the 
outlet. The mirage which frequently oc- 
curs, is occasioned by the difference be- 
tween the temperature of tlie air and the 
Lake. Great difficulties are experienced 
from this cause in making astronomical 
observations. 

"Auroras, even in midsummer, are of 
frequent occurrence, and exhibit a bril- 
liancy rarel}^ observed in lower latitudes." 
— Foster tf; Whiiney^s Report. 



18 



MAGNITUDE OP THE LAKES. 



THE UPPER LAKES, OR "INLAND SEA," OF AMERICA. 



This appellation applies to Lakes Hu- 
ron, Michigan, and Superior, including 
Green Bay, lying within the confines of 
the United States, and Georgian Bay, 
which lies entirely in Canada. 

These bodies of water embrace an area 
Of abont 15,000 square miles, and, as a 
whole, are deserving of the name of the 
'Inland Sea,' being closely connected by 
straits or water-courses, navigable for the 
largest class of steamers or sail vessels. 
The shores, although not elevated, are 
bold, and free from marsh or swampy 
lands, presenting one clean range of coast 
for about 3,000 miles. 

By a late decision of the Supreme 
Court of the U. States, the Upper Lakes 
including Lake Erie, with their connect 
ing waters, were declared to be seas, com- 
mercially and legally. Congress, under 
this decision, is empowered to improve 
the harbors of the lakes and the connect- 
ing straits, precisely as it has power to 
do the same on the seaboard. This will 
probably lead to a vigorous policy in the 
maintenance of Federal authority, both in 
improving the harbors, and making pro- 
vision for the safety of commerce, and 
protection of life, as. well as guarding 
against foreign invasion. The only forti- 
fication of importance that is garrisoned 
is Fo7-t Mackinac, guarding the passage 
through the Straits of Mackinac. 

The islands of these lakes are numer- 
ous, particularly in the Straits of Mackinac, 
and in Georgian Bay retaining the same 
bold and virgin appearance as the main- 
land; most of them are fertile and sus- 
ceptible of high cultivation, although, as 
yet, but few are inhabited to auv consid- 
erable extent. 



The dark green waters of the Upper 
Lakes, when agitated by a storm, or the 
motion of a passing steamer, presents a 
brilliancy peculiar only to these trans- 
parent waters — they then "assume the ad- 
mixture of white foam, with a lively green 
tinge, assuming a crystal-like appearance. 
In this pure water, the white fish, and 
other species of the finny tribe, delight 
to gambol, affording the sportsman and 
epicurean untold pleasure, which is well 
described in the following poem : 

THE WHITE FISH. 

Henry R. Schoolcraft, in his poem. 
"The White Fish," says: 

" All friends to good living by tureen and dish. 
Concur in exulting this prince of a fish ; 
So fine in a platter, so tempting a fry, 
So rich on a gridiron, so s-vveet in a pie ; 
That even before it the salmon must fall, 
And that mighty honnt-bauche, of the land, 
beaver's tail. 

* * * * 

'TJs a morsel alike for the gourmand or faster, 
While, white as a tablet of pure alabaster f 
Its beauty or flavor no person can doubt. 
When seen in the water or tasted without; 
And all the dispute that opinion ere makes 
Of this king of lake fishes, this ^ deer of th* 

lakes,^* 
Regard not its choiceness to ponder or sop. 
But the best mode of dressing and serving it up. 

♦ * ♦ * 
Here too, might a fancy to descant inclined. 
Contemplate the lore that pertains to the kind. 
And bring up the red man, in fanciful strains. 
To prove its-creation from feminine brains. "t 



* A translation of Ad-dik-keem-maig, the In- 
dian name for this fish, 
t Vide " Indian Tales and L«gends.* 



FTSn OF TFTK UPPF.R LAKES, 



1» 



FISH OF THE UPPER LAKES. 



" The numbers, varieties, and excellent 
qualit}' of lake fish are worthy of notice. 
It is believed that no fresh waters known 
can, in any respect, bear comparison. 
They are, with some exceptions, of the 
same kind m all the lakes. Those found 
in Lake Superior and the straits of St. 
Mary are of the best quality, owing to the 
cooler temperature of the water. Their 
quantities are surprising, and apparently 
so inexhaustible, as to warrant the belief 
tliat were a population of millions to in- 
habit the lake shore, they would furnish 
an ample supply of this article of food 
without any sensible diminution. There 
are several kinds found in Lake Superior, 
and some of the most delicious quality, 
that are not found in the lakes below, as 
the siskowit and muckwaw, which grow 
to the weight of eight or ten pounds. 
The salmon and some others are found in 
Ontario, but not above the Falls of Niag- 
ara. 

" The following is a very partial list of 
a few of the prominent varieties: the 
white fish, Mackinac and salmon-trout, 
sturgeon, muscalunje, siskowit, pickerel, 
pike, perch, herring, white, black, and 
rock bass, cat, pout, eel-pout, bull-head, 
roach, sun-fish, dace, sucker, carp, muUet, 
bill-fish, sword-fish, bull-fish, stone-carrier, 
sheeps-head, gar, &c. 

" The lamprey-eel is found in all, but 
the common eel is found in neither of the 
lakes, nor in any of their tributaries, except 
one. The weight to which some of these 
attain is not exceeded by the fish of any 
other inland fresh waters, except the Mis- 
sissippi. * * * * 

" The fish seem to be more numerous 
some years than others, and likewise of 
better quality. The kinds best for pick- 
ling and export are the white fish, Mack- 
inac and salmon trout, sturgeon, and 
pickerel. The fisheries at. which these 
are oaught are at Mackinac, at several 



points in each of the four straits, the 
southeast part of Lake Superior, Thunder 
Bay, Saginaw Bay, and Fort Gratiot near 
foot of Lake Huron. The sport of taking 
the brook trout, which are found in great 
abundance in the rapids at the Saut Ste 
Marie, and most all of the streams faUing 
into the Upper Lakes, affords healthful 
amusement to hundreds of amateur fish- 
ermen during the summer and fall months. 
The modes of taking the different kinds of 
fish are in seines, dip-nets, and gill-nets, 
and the trout with hooks. 

" Those engaged in catching fish in the 
Straits of Mackinac, are composed of 
Americans, Irish, French, half breeds, 
and Indians. Some are employed by cap- 
italists, others have their own boats and 
nets. Each one is furnished with a boat, 
and from fifty to one hundred nets, re- 
quiring constantly two or three men for 
each boat, to run the different gangs of 
nets. The fish caught are principally 
white fish, with some trout. The demand 
for exportation increases every year, and 
although immense quantities are caught 
every season, still no diminution in their 
number is perceived. 

" A fleet of two hundred fish-boats are 
engaged in and about the Straits, em- 
bracing, however, all the Beaver group. 
Each boat will average one barrel of fish 
per day during the fishing season. 

H: 4c 4c 4t 4c 

" Ye, who are fond of sport and fun, 
who wish for wealth and strength; ye, 
who love angling; ye, who believe that 
God has given us a time to pray, a time 
to dance, &c., &c., go to these fishing- 
grounds, gain health and strength, and 
pull out Mackinac trout from 20 to 40 lbs. 
in weight. One hook and line has, in 
three to four hours, pulled out enough to 
fill three to four barrels of fish, without 
taking the sport in':o consideration. 

••yours, W. M.J,' 



20 



MAGNITUDE OF THE LAKES. 



PHYSICAL CHARACTER OF THE MISSISSIPPI BASIN. 



*' The Valley of the Mississippi, bounded 
on the one hand by the Rocky Mountains, 
and on the other by the AUeghanies, em- 
braces a drainage area of 1,244,000 square 
miles, which is more than one-half of the 
entire area of the United States. The 
Upper Mississippi Valley is composed of 
three subordinate basins, whose respective 
dimensions are as follows : 

Square miles. 

The Ohio basin 214,000 

The Upper Mississippi 169,000 

The Missouri 518,000 

Making a total of 901,000 

Its navigable rivers are as follows : 

Miles. 

Missouri, to near the Great Falls 3,150 

Missouri, above Great Falls to Three Forks 150 

Osajre. to Osceola 200 

Kansas 100 

Biff Sioux 75 

Yellow-stone 800 

Upper Mississippi, to St. Paul % 658 

St. Anthony, to Sauk Kapids 80 

Above Little Falls, to Pokegima Falls 250 

Minnesota, to Patterson's liapids 295 

St. Croix, to St Croix Falls 60 

Illinois, to La Salle 220 

Ohio, to Pittsburgh 975 

Monongahela,to Geneva(slack-water,4 locks) 91 

Muskingum, to Dresden " 8 " 100 

Green Kiver to BowlingGreen " 5 " 186 

Kentucky, to Brooklyn " 5 " 117 

Kanawha, to Gauley Bridge 100 

Wabash, to Lafayette 835 

Salt, to Shepherdsville 30 

Sandy, to Louisa 25 

Tennessee, to Muscle Shoals 600 

Cumberland, to Burkesville 870 



Total navigation 8.967 

Note.— Steamboats have ascended the Des 
Moines to Des Moines City, Iowa River to Iowa 
City, Cedar River to Cedar' Rapids, and the Maquo- 
keta to Maquoketa City, but only during tempo- 
rary floods. 



"It would thus appear that the internal 
navigation of the Upper Mississippi Val- 
ley is about 9,000 miles in extent; but, 
during the summer months, even through 
the main channels, it become|,precarious, 
and at times is practically suspended. 

"The Mississippi Valley, viewed as a 
whole, may be regarded as one great plain 
between two diverging coast ranges, ele- 
vated from 400 to 800 feet above the sea. 
St. Paul, the head of the navigation of the 
Mississippi, is 800 feet above the ocean; 
Pittsburgh, at the junction of the Monon- 
gahela and Alleghany, forming the Ohio, 
699 feet ; Lake Superior on the north, 600 
feet ; but the water-shed on the west, at 
South Pass, rises to nearly 7,500 feet. 

"It is traversed by no mountain ranges, 
but the surface swells into hills and ridges, 
and is diversified by forest and prairie. 
Leaving out the sterile portions west of 
the Missouri, the soil is almost uniformly 
fertile, easily cultivated, and yields an 
abundant return. The climate is healthy 
and invigorating, and altogether the region 
is the most attractive for immigration of 
any portion of the earth." 

By means of a Ship Canal, connectine: 
with the Illinois River, the waters of the 
Mississippi will be united with the waters 
of Lake Michigan — thus forming an un- 
interrupted navigation for armed vessels 
of a large class from the Gulf of Mexico 
to the Gulf of St. Lawrence, forming an 
inland navigation of about 3,000 miles — 
running through the sub-tropical and 
temperate zones, where nature is most 
lavish of her gifts. 



PHYSICAL CHARACTER OF THE ST. LAWRENCE. 

The sources of the Mississippi on the 1 and rivers, presesnts a system of watex- 
east interlock with those of the St. Law- communication of rvearly equal extent and 
reuco, which, with its associated la-kes ' grandeur. 



PHYSICAL rilARAfTEn OF THE ST. I.AWRKyCK — DEVELOPMENT. 



21 



TABLE SHOWrNG THE DIMENSIONS OF THE 
FIVE GREAT AMERICAN LAKES. 

Lakes Greatest (Jreatcst Height Area in 

leiiglh. brenjlh. above sea. nq. miles. 
Miles. Miles. Feet. 

Superior 400 170 600 31..500 

Michigan 3'iO 85 576 '22.000 

Huron 260 160 574 20.400 

Krie 240 70 565 9,6()0 

Ontario ISO 60 232 6,500 

Total 1,460 90,000 

" The entire area drained by these lakes 
is estimated at 335,500 square miles, and 
their shore lines are nearly 5,000 miles in 
extent. 

" These rivers are as diverse in charac- 
ter as in direction. The Mississippi is the 
longer, but the St. Lawrence discharges 
the greater volume of water; the one 
abounds in difficult rapids, the other in 
stupendous cataracts; the one is subject 
to great fluctuations, the other preserves 
an almost unvarying level ; the waters of 
the one are turbid, those of the other pos- 
sess an almost crystal purity; the one 
affords few lake-like expansions, the other 
swells into vast inland seas. Both have 
become the great highways of commerce, 



enriching the regions through whicn they 
flow, and supply iiig the inhabitants with 
the .avic'd j roducts of distant climes." — 
Foster and Whitney^ s Report on Lake Supe- 
rior. 

"The commerce of these lakes, whose 
annual value reaches $450,000,000 — more 
than twice the external commerce of the 
whole country — is carried on by a fleet of 
1,643 vessels, of the following classes: — 



No. 

Steamers 143 

Propellers 254 

Barks 74 

Brigs 85 

Schooners 1,068 

Sloops 16 

Barges ... 3 



Tonnage. Value. 

5;3.5'22 $2,190,300 

70.25;? 3,573..S(iO 

83.203 982.900 

24.K31 526.200 

227,831 5,95.'i.550 

667 12.770 

3,719 17,000 



Tot.als 1,643 413,026 $13,257,020 

The following are the distances of some 
of the commercial routes, taking Chicago 
as the initial point : 

Chicago to Mackinac (direct) 860 miles. 

" " Fond (lu Lac Superior 900 " 

" " Georgian Bay 650 " 

" " Buflalo, N. Y 950 " 

" " Quebec 1,530 " 

" " Gulf of St. Lawrence 1,950 " 



PROGRESS OF DEVELOPMENT. 



The first colony of English extraction, 
planted in the territory of the Upper Mis- 
eissippi, was in 1788 — just seventy-five 
years ago — at Marietta, within the present 
limits of Ohio. This was the origin of 
that spirit of colonization, which, within 
the lifetime of many living men, has peo- 
pled this region with nine millions of hu- 
man beings; has subdued and brought 
under cultivation, an area greater than 
that of all the cultivated lands of the Brit- 
ish Empire; has connected the principal 
commercial points with a net- work of rail- 
ways more than eleven thousand miles in 
extent; and has built up a domestic in- 
dustry, the value of whose annual product 
Is in excess of three hundred and fifty 
millions of dollars. Out of this territory 



have been carved not less than nine States, 
which are indissolubly linked together by 
a similarity of conditions in soil and cli- 
mate, and by the geographical features of 
the country. They have already received 
the appellation of the "Food-producing" 
States — an appellation Avhich they are 
destined to retain for all time. 

The rivers and the lakes, which water 
this region, offer the most magnificent sys- 
tem of internal communication to be found 
on the surface of the earth. No mountain 
barriers interpose to divide the people in- 
to hostile clans, or divt'it the great cur- 
rents of trade in their fiow to the markets 
of the world. ^Yith a soil sufficiently rich 
in organic matter for fifty successive crops ; 
with almost boundless fields of coal, stored 



22 



MAGNITUDE OF THE LAKES. 



away for future use ; with vast deposits 
of the useful ores, and the precious metals, 
on the rim of the great basin ; and with 
a climate most favorable to the develop- 
ment of human energy, it is impossible 
for the mind, even in its most daring spec- 
ulations, to assign limits to the growth of 
the North-west. When all of these ele- 
ments of wealth, now in a crude state, 
shall have been fully developed, there will 
be an exhibition of human power and 
greatness such as no other people ever at- 
tained. 

Comparing the whole superficial con- 



tents of these States with the portions cul-. 
tivated, it will be seen that only about 16 
per cent, of the surface has been sub- 
dued; and, if population and cultivation 
increase in the same ratio in the future as 
they have in the past, before the lapse of 
another decade there will be collected an- 
nually, on the borders of the Great Lakes, 
more than 200,000,000 bushels of cereals 
for exportation, giving employment to a 
fleet of more than 3,000 vessels, and re- 
quiring avenues of more than twice the 
capacity of existing ones. 



A LUNAR TIDAL WAVE 

In tlie ]Vortli American I^akes. 

Extract from a Paper read by Lt.-Col. Graham, before the American Association for the 
Advancement of Science, August, 1860. 



"Much has been written, at various 
periods, on the fluctuations in the eleva- 
tion of the surface waters of the great 
freshwater lakes of North America. Val- 
uable and interesting memoirs have ap- 
peared from time to time in the American 
Journal of Science and Arts, published 
monthly at New Haven, Connecticut, 
within the last thirty years, on this sub- 
ject, written by the late Brevet Brigadier- 
General Henry Whiting, of the U. S. Ar- 
my, when a captain, by Major Lachlan, 
Charles Whittlesey, Esq., and others. 
The observations contained in their me- 
moirs have, however, been directed chiefly 
to investigations of the extent of the sec- 
ular and annual variations in elevation of 
the surfaces of these lakes. 

" The learned Jesuit fathers of the time 
of !Marquette, a period near two centuries 
pgo, and at later periods the Baron de la 
llontau, Charlevois, Carver, and others, 
noticed in their writings the changes of 
elcvotion, and some peculiar fluctuations 
"which take place on these inland seas. 



In the speculations indulged in by some 
of these writers a slight lunar tide is 
sometimes suspected, then again such an 
influence on the swelling and receding 
waters is doubted, and their disturbance 
is attributed to the varying courses and 
forces of the winds. 

"But we have nowhere seen that any 
systematic course of observation was ever 
instituted and carried on by these early 
explorers, or by any of their successors 
who have mentioned the subject, giving 
the tidal readings at small enough inter- 
vals of time apart, and of long enough 
duration to develop the problem of a diur- 
nal lunar tidal wave on these lakes. The 
general idea has undoubtedly been that 
no such lunar influence was here percep- 
tible. 

"In April, 1854, I was stationed at 
Chicago by the orders of the Govern- 
ment, and charged with the direction of 
the harbor improvements on Lake Mich- 
igan. In the latter part of August of 
that year, I caused to be erected at the 



A LUNAR TIDAL WAVE. 



23 



cast or lalceward extremity of the North 
hirbor pier, a permanent tide-gauge for 
th? purpose of making daily observations 
of the relative heights and fluctuations 
of the surface of this lake. The position 
thus chosen for the observations projects 
into the lake, entirely beyond the mouth 
of the Chicago River, and altogether out 
of the reach of any influence from the 
river current, upon the fluctuations of the 
tide-gauge. It was the fluctuations of 
the lake surface alone, that could affect 
the readings of the tide-gauge. 

"On the first day of September, 1854, 
a course of observations was commenced 
on this tide-gauge, and continued at least 
once a day, until the 31st day of Decem- 
ber, inclusive, 1858. During each of the 
first three winters a portion of the daily 
observations was lost, owing to the tide- 
gauge being frozen fast in its box, but 
they constituted only a small number in 
proportion to that embraced in the series. 
During the subsequent winters artificial 
means were resorted to, to prevent this 
freezing. 

"These observations were instituted 
chiefly for the purpose of ascertaining 
with accuracy the amount of the annual 
and also of the secular variation in the 
elevation of the lake surface, with a view 
to regulating the heights of break-waters 
and piers to be erected for the protection 
of vessels, and for improving the lake 
harbors." 

After a series of close observations from 
1854 to li58, Lieut.-Colonel Graham ob- 
serves: — 

" The difference of elevation of the lake 
surface, between the periods of lunar low 
and lunar high-water at the mean spring 
tides is here shown to be two hundred 
and fifty -four thousandths (.254) of a foot, 
and the time of high- water at the full and 



change of tlie moon is shown to be thirty 
(30) minutes after the time of the moon's 
meridian transit. 

" We, therefore, in accordance with cus 
tom in like cases, indicate as the establish- 
tnent for the port of Chicago, 
h. m. 
i Foot, 30. 

"Although this knowledge may be of 
but small practical advantage to naviga- 
tors, yet it may serve as a memorandum 
of a physical phenomenon whose exist- 
ence has generally heretofore been either 
denied or doubted. 

" We think it probable that, if the ef- 
fect of unfavorable winds and all other 
extraneous forces which produce irregular 
oscillations in the elevation of the lake 
surface could be fully eliminated, a semi- 
diurnal lunar spring tide would be shown 
of as much as one-third of a foot for the 
periods of highest tides. 

The time of low-water and the relative 
times of duration of the flood and ebb 
tides are given only approximately. The 
extreme rise of the tide being so Httle, 
the precise time of the change from ebb 
to flood, and hence the duration of the 
flow of each, can only be accurately de- 
termined by numerous observations at 
short intervals, say three to five minutes 
of time apart, from about an hour before 
to an hour after the aetual time of low- 
water. 

" In conclusion, we offer the above ob-. 
servations as solving the problem in ques- 
tion, and as proving the existence of a 
semi-diurnal lunar tidal wave on Lake 
Michigan, and consequently on the other 
great freshwater lakes of North America, 
whose co-ordinate of altitude is, at its 
summit, as much as .15 to .25 (j'q^ to -^^ 
of a foot, United States' measure." 



^4 



MAGNITUDE OF THE LAKES. 



REMARKABLE PHENOMENA. 



Prof. Mather, who observed the bar- 
ometer at Fort Wilkins, Copper Harbor, 
4T* 30' north lat., during the prevalence 
of one of these remarkable disturbances 
which are peculiar to all the Upper Lakes, 
remarks: — "As a general thing, fluctua- 
tions in the barometer accompanied the 
fluctuations in the level of the water, but 
sometimes the water-level varied rapidly 
in the harbor, while no such variation 
occurred in the barometer at the place of 
observation. The variation in the level 
of the water may be caused by varied 
barometric pressure of the air on the 
water, either at the place of observation, 
or at some distant point. A local in- 
creased pressure of the atmosphere at 
the place of observation, would lower the 
water-level where there is a wide expanse 
of water ; or a diminished pressure, under 
the same circumstances, would cause the 
water to rise above its usual level." 



In the summer of 1854, according to 
the Report of Foster and Whitney, made 
to Congress in 1850, "an extraordinary 
retrocession of the waters took place at 
the Saut Ste Marie. The river here is 
nearly a mile in width, and the depth of 
water over the sandstone rapids is about 
three feet. The phenomena occurred at 
noon ; the day was calm but cloudy ; tho 
water retired suddenly, leaving the bed 
of the river bare, except for the distance 
of about twenty rods where the channel 
is deepest, and remained so for the space 
of an hour. Persons went out and caught 
fish in the pools formed in the rocky cavi- 
ties. The return of the waters was sud- 
den, and presented a sublime spectacle. 
They came down like an immense surge, 
roaring and foaming, and those who had 
incautiously wandered into the river bed, 
had barely time to escape being over- 
whelmed." 



Rising and Falling of the Waters of Lake Michigan. 

[From the Chicago Trilnme, May 28^ 1861.] 



One of those singular oscillations in the 
Lakes, or "Inland Seas," which have 
been observed occasionally from the time 
of the exploration of the Jesuit Fathers, 
was witnessed yesterday in Lake Michi- 
gan. A variety of signs, such as the 
mirage of the distant shore, unusual de- 
pression of the barometer, and a sudden 
rise of the temperature from a cool, bracing 
air, to a sultry heat, indicated an unusual 
commotion in the atmospheric elements. 
About eleven o'clock a. m., when our at- 
tention was first called to the phenomena, 
the waters of the lake had ri^en about 
tkirty-one inches above the ordinary level, 
and in the course of half an hour they 
again receded. Throughout the whole 
day they continued to ebb' and flow at in- 
tervals of fifteen or twenty minutes, and 



the current between the outer and inner 
breakwater, near the Illinois Central Rail- 
road House, was so great at times that a 
row-boat made little or no headway against 
it. The extreme variation between high 
and low water was nearly three feet. 
The wind all day was off shore (from the 
southwest), the effect of whi^ was to 
keep down the waters instead of accumu- 
lating them at this point. Abont ejght 
o'clock in the evening it veered suddenly 
to the northwest, and blew a violent gale, 
accompanied by vivid electrical displays. 
This morning (Monday) we hear of tele- 
graphic hnes prostrated, of persons killed 
by lightning, Ac, while the lake, although 
agitated, exhibits none of the pulsations 
of yesterday. 



COMMERCE OF THK LAKES. 

Extract from the Annual Report of the Trade and Commerce of 

Buffalo, 




" Ix presenting to the public our Annual 
Review of tlie Trade and Commerce of 
Buffalo, for the last year it will not be 
inappropriate to revert to the past to show 
the rise and progress, the extent and 
growth of the commerce of these vast 
'Inland Seas.' 

" When in the year 16 Y9, the Chevalier 
de La Salle obtained permission of the 
Seneca Indians to build a vessel at Cayuga 
Creek, six miles above Niagara Falls, which 
was launched in 1679, and was the first 
vessel moved with sails upon the waters 
of Lake Erie, every portion of the great 
West was covered with its ancient forests. 
The echoing axe had never rung through 
their solitudes, and the battle for mastery 
was yet undecided between the wild beast 
and bis wild foe the savage hunter. The 
three guns which were fired when the 
•Griffin' was launched, were, probably, 
the firr^t sounds of gunpowder that ever 
broke upon the stillness of this vast re- 
gion. The wondering Senecas heard in 
them the thunders, and saw the lightnings 
of heaven. The white man was equally 
an object of admiration and fear. 

"The arts of navigation, at this period, 



upon this great inland sea, were confined 
to the bark canoe and the rude paddle 
with which it was propelled. Never be- 
fore had the canvas here opened itself to 
^the wind. The voyage of La Salle was 
an era in the history of this portion of the 
world. The immense fur trade with the 
natives at the extremities of these lakes, 
which was carried on first by the French 
and afterward by the English, was then 
almost entirely unknown. It was %ut the 
year before the sites of the first trading- 
houses had been selected. La Salle set 
sail from the foot of Lake Erie, on tlie 7th 
day of August, 1679, with a crew of thirty 
men, and arrived at Mackinac on the 28th 
day of that month. The first cargo of 
furs was put on board the Grififin, and she 
was ordered by La Salle to return with a 
crew of six men to Niagara. But a storm 
was encountered, and the vessel and cargo, 
valued at fifty to sixty thousand francs, 
with all on board, was lost. Thus was 
made the first great sacrifice of life and 
property to the commerce of Lake Erie. 

" Since that period the changes that have 
been wrought in the country bordering up- 
on and lying beyond these lakes, surpass 
the dreams of enchantment. Enterprise 
and energy have penetrated tliose vast 
solitudes ; the beasts of prey have slunk 
back into the deep fastnesses of the woods, 
the native tribes have vanished away like 
their own majestic forests, aud the white 
man following fast upon their rustling 
footsteps, has subdued the wilderness to 
the forms of civilization. 

" The country from which the furs were 
gathered at the trading posts at Niagara 



26 



COMMEUCE OF THE LAKES. 



Detroit, and Mackinac, including a large 
portion of Ohio, Indianii, Illinois, Michi- 
gan, and Wisconsin, now contains a pop- 
ulation of 6,926,874. Since the day when 
La Salle tirst opened, as it were, to future 
generations the great higliway upon the 
waters of Lakes Erie and Huron, the pro- 
genitors of this mighty multitude have 
been borne upon its waves by favoring 
winds ; and innumerable little bands gain- 
ing the mouth of some fair river, have 
thence radiated over the wide-spread do- 
main from which their descendants are now 
pouring down upon the trusting bosom 
of the lake, the abundant products of an 
almost inexhaustible fertility. 

"Great as has been the change Since 
the country was first explored, it has al- 
most wholly taken place since the year 
1800. ^'he population of Ohio in that year 
■was only 45,365; and that was the only 
State, with the exception of New York 
and Pennsylvania, of all those bordering 
upon the great lakes, whicl) contained any 
considerable settlements, or in which any 
enumeration of the people was taken. 
Even Ohio was not then admitted into 
the Union ; and the commercial advantage 
ot Lake Erie were scarcely begun to be 
developed till twenty-five years afterward. 
The first vessel bearing the American flag 
upon Lake Erie was tlie sloop Detroit, of 
seventy tons, which was purchased of the 
Nortliwest Fur Company, by the General 
Government, in 1796. She was, however, 
soon condemned as unseaworthy, and 
abandoned. Up to the time of the decla- 
ration of war in 1812, the whole number 
of vessels of all descriptions on these 
lakes, did not exceed twelve, and these 
were employed either in the fur trade, or 
in transporting to the West such goods 
and merchandise as were required for the 
scattered population that liad fouiid their 
way there. A few vessels were built dur- 
ing the war, but, probably, as many or 
more were destroyed. And during the 
tliree years of its continuance, as all emi- 



gration to the West, if any had before ex- 
isted, must liuve ceased, there cannot be 
said to have been any commerce on the 
lakes. 

"In March, 1791, Col. Thomas Proctor 
visited the Senecas of Buftalo Creek, and 
from him the first authentic notice of Buf 
falo is given. He mentions a storehouse 
kept by an Indian trader named Winne, 
at Lake Erie. 

" In June, 1795, a French nobleman, 
named La Rochefoucauld Liancourt, visit- 
ed Buffalo and the neighboring Indian vil- 
lages. At this place. there were then but 
few houses. He mentions an Inn where 
he was obliged to sleep on the floor in his 
clothes. 

"In August, 1795, Judge Porter, ac- 
companied by Judah Colt, went to Presque 
Isle, now Erie, through Buffalo. Judge 
Porter makes mention ' that one Johnson, 
the British Indian interpreter, Winne, the 
trader, and Middaugh, a Dutchman, with 
his family, lived at Buffalo.' The only 
road between Buffalo and Avon, in the 
year 1797, was an Indian trail, and the 
only house on this trail was one, about 
one and one-half miles east of the present 
village of Le Roy, occupied by a Mr. 
Wilder, As late as 1812 the roads were 
next to impassable, and to obtain supplies 
from Albany, trade was carried on by a 
circuitous route, 'through the Niagara 
river to Schlosser, thence by portage to 
Lewiston, thence by water to Oswego and 
up the Oswego River, through the Oneida 
Lake and Wood Creek, and across a short 
portage to tlie Mohawk River, thence by 
that river and around tlie portage of Little 
Falls to Schenectady — and thence over the 
arid pine plains to Albany.' Tlie late 
Judge Townsend and George Coit. Esq., 
came to Buffalo as traders, in 1811 by this 
route, bringing about twenty tons of mer- 
chandise from Albany at a cost of fifty 
dollars a ton. At this time there were 
less than one hundred dwellings here, and 
the population did not exceed five hun- 



EARLY IIISTOUT. 



27 



dred- The mouth of Buffalo Creek was 
tlion obstructed by a sand-b:ir, frequently 
preveatiug the entrance of small ve.-wels, 
ap.d even frail Indian bark canoes were 
frequently shut oat, and footmen walked 
across its mouth on dry land. Vessels 
then received and discharged their cargoes 
at Bird Island wharf, near Black Rock. 
To remedy the obstructions in the creek 
by the sand-bar at its outlet into the lake, 
it was proposed, in the year 1811, to run 
a pier into the lake, but notliing- of moment 
was done till the spring of 1820, when a 
subscription was raised, by the then vil- 
lagers of Buffalo, amounting to $1,361. 
The late Hon. Samuel Wilkson was the 
originator and projector of this movement, 
and temporary improvements were made 
wliich carried away the obstructing sand- 
bar. In 1822 the village in its corporate 
capacity paid John T. Lacy for building a 
raud-scow for working in the harbor $534. 
The first corporate notice of the harbor 
was made hi the latter year. Buffalo was 
incorporated as a village in April, 1813, 
and as a city on 20th of April, 1832. 

"Melish says, 'the population by the 
last census was 365, and it was computed 
in 1811 at 500, and is rapidly increasing.' 
In 1825 the population was 2,412; in 
1830, 8,668; in 1835, 15,661; in 1840, 
18,213; in 1845, 29,973; in 1850, 42,261* 
in 1860, 81,129; and at the end of the 
year 1862 the population is estimated at 
over 100,000. In 1817 the taxable prop- 
erty of the village was $134,400, and on 
this valuation an assessment of $400 was 
made daring that y^a,r. The valuation of 
the real and personal property of the city 
in 1862 is $30,911,014. 

" The population and valuation of prop- 
erty, the harbor and harbor improve- 
ments, the manufactures and commerce, 
the canal, railway, and water connections 
by lake with other portions of the country, 
the population and productions of the 
West and Northwest, the large lake, canal, 



the present time, when compared witli 
what tliey were fifty years ago, 'are mar- 
vellous in our eye-^,' and if somn fir-soeing 
miud, a lialf century since, had pro;)hesied 
results of such vast magnitude, he would 
have been dono;uinated an idle dreamer, 
and a fit subject for a lunatic asylum. 

"The States and Territories bordering 
on, and tributarj- to the great lake basin 
that had fifty years ago but a few thousand 
population, liave now nearly seven millions, 
which will soon be augmented by the 
natural increase and by immigration to 
thirty millions, and Buffalo with its 500 
inhabitants in 1811, 81,000 in 1860, wiU 
have a population of three or four hun- 
dred thousand before the present century 
shall have passed away. Within the lim- 
its of these lake States, where, less than 
forty years ago, there were neither canals 
nor railways, there are now 14,484 miles 
of railway, and 3,345 miles of navigable 
canals, of which latter about 760 miles 
are slack-water navigation. 

"The whole West and Northwest is 
now traversed by a net-work of railways, 
with important canal connections between 
the different States, where there was a 
sparsely populated, almost interminable 
forest or uninhabited prairie. In this 
march of improvement, making more in- 
timate the social and commercial relations 
of these widely separated sections of the 
country, the Empire State has nobly led 
the way. The far-seeing mind of her 
honored son, Governor Clinton, projected 
the Erie Canal which was completed in 
1825, uniting the waters of the Hudson 
with the lakes. A brighter day then 
dawned upon the West, the population 
was rapidly augmented, which was soon 
succeeded by largely increased agricultu- 
ral productions that gave new life to com- 
merce. The era of railways was com- 
menced in about the year 1830. 

" With these largely increased rail fa- 
cilities, and the capacity of the New York 



and railway facilities for transportation at I canals nearly quadrupled, the augmenting 



2.9 



COMMERCE OF TFTE LAKES. 



facilities do not keep pace with the rapid- 
ly augmenting population and largely in- 
creased production. Improved channels 
of communication, both by rail and water, 
must be made, to enable the producer at 
tlie West to get his products more elieap- 
ly to market. A country vast in extent, 
bordering upon the upper Mississippi, the 
Ohio, Cumberland, Tennessee, Arkansas, 
Red, and Missouri rivers and their tribu- 
taries, and the Red river of the North, 
traversed by more than twenty thousand 
miles of navigable waters, Avill soon be 
densely peopled; new States to the west 
of those already admitted will soon knock 
for admission into the Union; the supera- 
bundant products of an almost inexhaust- 
ible fertility will be pouring over the lakes 
and railways, and through the rivers and 
canals, imparting activity to trade, giving 
life, strength and vital energy to the large- 
ly augmenting commerce of the West. 
As the star of empire westward wends its 
way, widening the distance from the great 
sea-board marts of trade, the prospective 
wants and increased productions of scores 
of millions of people will from necessity 
create cheaper and more expeditious facil- 
ities for the transportation of their surplus 
products to market. There is no country 
on the face of tlie globe that has so many 
natural advantages for a large and extend- 
ed internal trade as the great West and 
Northwest. 

"The great basin east of the Rocky 
Mountains is drained by the Mississippi 
and Missouri Rivers and their tributaries, 
and their waters find an outlet in the 
Gulf of Mexico. The great lakes, having 
an area equal to one twenty-fifth part of 
the Atlantic Ocean, are drained by the 
river St. Lawrence, and find an outlet in 
the Gulf of St. Lawrence. The construc- 
tion of a few miles of canal makes a nav- 
igable connection from the ocean to the 
great chain of lakes. These natural ad- 
vantages have been improved to some ex- 
tent in the United States by the construc- 



tion of a canal through the State of New 
York, that now has a prism forty-five feet 
at tlie bottom and seventy feet at the top, 
with seven feet of water, with locks 18 
feet 6 inches wide by 100 feet long. 
There is also a canal one hundred miles 
long connecting the Illinois river with 
lake Michigan at Chicago, and slack water 
navigation connecting Green Bay, Wiscon- 
sin, with the Mississippi river. By the 
construction of a ship canal about three- 
fourths of a mile in length, from Big 
Stone Lake to Lake Traver in Minnesota, 
steamboats from St. Paul could navigate 
both the Minnesota river and the Red 
river of the North to Lake Winnepeg. a 
distance of seven hundred miles. The 
country traversed by these rivers is sur- 
passingly fertile and capable of sustaining 
a dense population. Lake Winnepeg is 
larger than Lake Ontario, and receives the 
Sas-katch-e-wan river from tlie West. 
The Sas-katch-e-wan river is navigable to 
a point (Edmonton House) near the Rocky 
Mountains, seven hundred miles west of 
Lake Winnepeg, and only 150 miles east 
of the celebrated gold diggings on Frazer 
rivfer in British Columbia. The digging 
of that one mile of canal, would, there- 
fore, enable a steamboat at New Orleans 
to pass into Lake Winnepeg and from 
thence to Edmonton House, some 5,000 
miles. A move has already been made 
for constructing this short canal. By en- 
larging the Illinois and Michigan canal 
and improving the navigation of the Illi- 
nois river, and improving and completing 
the slack water navigation of the Fox 
river in Wisconsin, connecting Green Bay 
with the Mississippi river, and stiU fur- 
ther enlarging the main trunk of the New 
York canals, steamers could be passed 
from New York or the Gulf of St. Law- 
rence, either through the canals of New 
York or Canada into the great lakes, and 
from thence to the head waters of the 
Sas-katch-e-wan, the Missouri, the Yellow 
Stone rivers, being some 5,000 to 6,000 



FIRST STEAMBOAT ON LAKE ERTE. 



29 



miles. The coreal product of the States 
bordering on and tributary to the lakes 
was 2(57,295.877 bushels in 1840; 434,- 
8G2,GG1 bushels in 1850, against 679,031,- 
559 busliels in 1860f and the population 
of tliese States has kept pace witli their 
oercul products, being 6,259,345 in 1840; 
9.178,003 in 1850, against 13,355,093 in 
1860, an increase of nearly fifty per cent, 
in population and cereal products in each 
decade. If the same rate per cent, of in- 
crease in population and cereal products 
shall be continued, these States in 1870 
will have a population of 20.032,639, with 
a cereal product of 1,008,557,338 bushels; 
in 1880, a population of 30,048,958. with 
a cereal product of 1,512,821,000 bushels ; 
in 1890, a population of 55,073,437, with 
a cereal product of 2,269,231,510 bushels, 
and in 1900 a population of 67,610,155, 
with a cereal product of 3,403,847,265. 

"The grain trade of Buflfalo for a series 
of years, given in this report, has already 
reached upwards of 72,000,000 bushels for 
the year 1862. If a crop of 680,000,000 
of bushels of cereal products, gives Buf- 
falo 72,000,000 of bushels of that crop; 
in the year 1900, with a crop of 3,403,- 
847,265 bushels of cereal products, the 
grain trade of Bufifalo will be upward of 
360,000,000 of bushels. The calculations 
of the forty years of the future are based 
on the actual results of the last thirty 
years. The year 1870 will give to Buffalo 
a grain trade of upwards of 107,000,000 
of bushels, and if there shall bo a propor- 
tionate increase in the grain trade of 
Oswugo, the present capacity of tlie New 
York canals will be entirely inadequate 
to pass through them this large amount 
of grain in addition to the large increase 
in tlie tonnage of other commodities, say- 
ing nothing of the capacity that will be 
required for the augmented business in 
1880, 1890, and 1900." 



The First Steamboat on 
L.ake Eric. 

The Detroit Tribune furnishes some in- 
teresting extracts on this subject, taken 
from tlie files of the Detroit Gazetlf^, of 
1818. We select the following descrip- 
tion of the reception of this monster of 
the great deep by the " Wolverines'' of that 
day. 

"August 26, 1818 :— Yesterday, be- 
tween the hours of 10 and 11 a. m., the 
elegant steamboat Walk-in-the- Water, Capt. 
J. Fish, arrived. — As she passed the pub- 
lic wharf, and that owned by Mr. J. S. 
Roby. she was cheered by hundreds of 
the inhabitants, who had collected to wit- 
ness this (in these waters) truly novel and 
grand spectacle. She came to at Wing's 
wharf. She left Buffalo at half-past 1 
o'clock on the 23d, and arrived off Dun- 
kirk at 35 minutes past 6 on the same 
day. On the next morning she arrived 
at Erie, Capt. Fish having reduced her 
steam during the night, in order not to 
pass that place, where she took in a sup- 
ply of wood. At half-past 7 p. m. she left 
Erie, and came to at Clevekind at 11 o'clock. 
On Friday, at 20 minutes past 6 o'clock, 
p. M., sailed and arrived off Sandu^-ky 
Bay at 1 o'clock on Wednesday ; lay at 
anchor during the night, and then pro- 
ceeded to Venice to wood ; left Yeuice at 
3 p. M., and arrived at the mouth of the 
Detroit River, where she anchored during 
the night— the whole time employed in 
sailing, in this first voyage from Buffalo 
to thi.s, being about 44 hours and 10 min- 
utes ; the wind ahead during nearly the 
whole passage. Not the slightest accident 
happened during the voyage, and all our 
machinery worked admirabh\ 

" Nothing could exceed the surpri.se of 
the sons of the forest on seeing the Walk- 
in-the- Water moving majestically and rap- 
idly against a strong current, without the 
assistance of sails or oars. They lined 
the banks near Maiden, and expressed 



30 



COMMKRCE OF THE LAKES. 



their aptonishinent by repeated shouts of 
' Tai-ynh niche.' A report had been cir- 
culated amoug thciu, that a ' big canoe' 
would soon come from the noisy waters, 
which, by order of the great father of the 
Cho-}nu-ko-nv'7iSy would be drawn through 
the lakes and rivers by sturgeon! Of the 
truth of the report they are now per- 
fectly satisfied. The cabins of this boat 
are fitted up in a neat, convenient, and 



elegant style ; and the manner in which 
she is found, does honor to the proprie- 
tors and to her commander. A passage 
between this place and Buffalo is now not 
merely tolerable, but truly pleasant. To- 
day she will make a trip to Lake St. Clair, 
with a large party of ladies and gentle- 
men. She will leave for Buffalo to-mor- 
row, and may be expected to visit U8 
again next week." 



TABLE, 

Exhibiting tub Tonnagk o/ike several Lake Districts in the United States, on the SOth June, 1861 



Districts. State. 

Burlington Vermont . 

Champlain New York 

Osweg.iichie 

Cape Vincent 

Sic:vet.'s Harjor. . . . 

Oswego ... 

Genesee 

Niaojara 

Buffalo 

Dunkirk 

Presque Lsle (Erie) . . 
Cuyahoga (Cleveland) 

Sandusky " .... 

Toledo " 

Detroit Michigan. 

Michilimackinac .... '* 

Chicago Illinois . . . 

Milwaukee \\ isconsin 



Pennsylvania 
Ohio 



Lakes, &c. 
Champlain. . . . 



St. Lawrence River. 



Ontario 



Erie 



Detroit River 

Huron 

Michigan .... 



Minnesota Superior 



Total Tonnage . 



Total Ton n ace. 
7,774 19 


1,791 
7,3:^2 
5,228 


71 
53 

70 


888 


55 


55,552 
2,981 


41 

84 


774 


48 


108,224 


00 


4,274 

7,369 

82,518 


26 
09 
87 


16.850 


24 


5,468 
66,887 

4,747 
85,743 


70 
89 
59 
66 


27,048 


19 


600,456 


90 



OAJfADIAN INLAND AND OCICAN NAVIGATION. 



31 



LAKE COMMEECE. 



Commerce of Buffalo— 1S64. 



The following statement shows the ar- 
rivals and clearances at and from Buflalo 
of American and Foreign vessels to and 
from Canadian ports; also the arrivals 
and clearances of American vessels to 

■from American ports, the tonnage of 
nme, and tlie number of men com- 

jg the crews arriving and departing ; 
. .3 comparative statement of the same 
for a series of years : 



riBST QUARTER. 

No. Vessels. Tonnoite. 
CJoastinjj vessels entered ... 1 • 344 
American vessels entered.. 805 409,165 

Foreign vessels entered 

Coasting vessels cleared 

American vessels cleared . . 865 409,165 
Foreign vessels cleared 



Crews. 
9 

4,015 
4,01.5 



Totals 671 

SECOND Qt'Ar.TER. 

No. Vessels. 

Coasting vessels entered . . . 1,560 
American vessels entered. 
Foreign vessels entered .. 
Coasting vessels cleared.. 
American vess>ls cleared. 
Foreign vessels cleared . . . 



818,674 8,089 



Tonnnpe. Crews. 

594,473 18,075 

893.497 4.1 58 

19.729 1.046 

659,197 19.66S 

409.'2S6 4.536 

6.474 LOSS 



Totals 4,523 2,082,655 48,571 

THIRD QITARTER. 



No. Vessels. 

Coasting vo5S< Is entered ..1,744 
American vessels entered. . 465 
Foreign vessels entered . .. 845 
Coasting vessels cleared .. .1,890 
American vessels cleared. . 496 
Foreign vessels cleared 842 



Tonnage. Crews. 

6S1.791 21.347 

388,741 4.250 

26,261 1,794 

693.485 21,503 

406,694 4,223 

31,571 1,593 



FOCRTH QtTARTER, 

No. Vessels. TonBage. Crew*. 
Coasting vessels entered . . . 1,064 431.477 



American vessels entered . 461 

Foreisn vessels entered . . . 864 

Coasting vessels cleared . . . 943 

American vessels cleared. . 467 

Foreign vessels cleared . . . 265 



449.855 

26,434 

382.609 

444,739 

26.362 



13.011 
4679 
1.389 

11,727 
4.660 
1.3S5 



Totals 3,569 1,761,476 86,851 



8UM.MART FOR THE TEAR 1864. 

No. Tonnage. Crewi. 

American vessels entered.. 1,663 1,641.258 17,102 

Foreign vessels entered . . 926 72.424 4,229 

Coasting vessels entered . .4,369 1,708.085 52.442 



Total entered for the year. .6,958 8,421,767 73,773 



No. Tonnage. Crews. 

American vessels cleared. .1,810 1,669.883 17,424 

Foreisn vessels cleared . . . hl4 64,407 4066 

Coasting vessels cleared. . .4.523 1,735.291 52.893 



Total cleared for the year.. 7,147 8,469,581 74,388 



Totals 5,2S2 2,228,543 54,710 



Grand Total 1864.. . 


...14.105 


6.891.348 


148.161 


.k 


1863... 


...15.376 


6.757.903 


157.415 


U i. 


1862... 


. . . 16.390 


6.tk>9,191 


166.1:33 


It I. 


1861... 


...13,866 


5 963.696 


144,173 


k. u 


1860... 


...11.527 


4.710.175 


120,4itT 


.i t. 


1859... 


...10,521 


5.592,626 


118,109 


" '• 


1858... 


... 8.31 S 


3.329,246 


86,887 


" 14 


1857... 


. .. 7.581 


3.226. G06 


132.1 S3 


u u 


1856... 


... 8,128 


3,(118.589 


112.051 


tk u 


1865... 


... 9.211 


3.360.23:3 


111.575 


Ik kk 


1854... 


... 8.912 


8.990.284 


120.833 


" 44 


1863... 


... 8,298 


3,252,978 


128,112 


ki 44 


1862... 


... 9,441 


8,v;92,247 


127,491 



Canadian Inland and Ocean NaTig:ation. 

The following, from a pamphlet pub- j Canadian Provinces: "Montreal, at the 
lished in Montreal, pictures in glowing | head of sea navigation proper, is the port 
colors the advantage.s to be derived from | for the groat chain of river, lake, and 
the great inland, water hlgliwu^''s of the ijanal navigation, which citendd west- 



32 



COMMERCE or THE LAKES. 



ward to Fond du Lac, Lake Superior, and 
Chicago, on Lake Michigan, a distance of 
about fifteen hundred miles, embracing 
the largest extent of inland water com- 
munication in the world." For extent of 
lake and rtver navigation, see page 16. 



Canadian Canals. 

Lenfifth in Depth Lockage, No. 
miles. in feet. Lift, feet. Locks. 

Lachine 8^ 10 44i 5 

Eeauharnois Hi 10 82* 9 

Cornwall Hi 10 48 7 

i'arrand's Point "1 10 4 1 

Rapid Plat l q. 10 IH 2 

Point Iroquois f * * ^* 10 6 1 

Gallop's I 10 8 2 

Welland 23 10 330 27 

Totals 69 643i 54 



Proposed Ottawa Ship Canal. 

The saving in the distance between 
Montreal and Chicago, by this direct 
route, over the present circuitous line 
through the Lower Lakes and the St. 
Lawrence, is 842 1- miles. It has 64 locks, 
with a total hfc of 665 i feet. The v/ork, 
in quality at least equal to the St. Law- 
rence Canals, is estimated to cost $12,- 
057,680, exclusive of the Lachine Canal, 
which is already completed. It is dis- 
tributed in the following divisions, natural 
and artificial : 

Miles of Miles of 

River and Lalce. Canal. 

Lachine 8.50 

Lake St. Louis 13.31 

St. Anne's 1 .19 

Lake of Two Mountains 24.70 

Carillon to Grenville 7.73 5.00 

Green Shoals .10 

Ottawa liiver 55.97 

Chaudi^re des Chenes 3.75 2.61 

De» Chenes Lake 26.69 

Chats 1.70 .60 

Chats' Lake 19.28 

Snow's to Blaek Falls 18.32 1.05 

lUver and Lake Coulonce 24 93 

Chajx-au and L'Islet. . . .^ 4.S6 . .14 

Deep River a3.68 

Juaclilm'a to Mattawan 61 . 74 £.26 



River Mattawan 

Summit Level and Cut.. . 
French River 


Miles of Miles of 
River and Lake. Canal. 

... 16.22 1.08 
... 51.15 6.97 
.... 47.62 .82 






Total 


....401.44 29.32 



This extensive line of interior waters, 
with short land portages, formed for many 
years tlie principal route for the vessels 
and voyageurs of the Hudson Bay Com- 
pany and the Northwest Company. 



New York Canals. 

Length, Size, Locks, etc. 

T „«»»», No. Size 
^«"eth. Locks. ' Locks. 

Erie (enlarged) 350i 71 110x18 

Genesee Valley and 

Extension 124} 112 90.xl5 

Cayutta and Seneca .. . 24^ 11 110x18 

Crooked Lake 8 27 90x15 

Cheman2& Feeder... 39 49 90x15 

Chenango 97 116 110x18 

Oswego 38 18 90x15 

Black River & Feeder. 50 109 

Black River Imp't 42^ 

Champlain CCJ 33 110x18 

Glens Falls Feeder ... 7 .... 100x15 

Oneida Lake 7 7 90x15 

Oneida River Imp't... 20 2 120x30i 

Oneida Lake 23 



Lift of 
Locks. 

569 

1,4S9 
761 
277 
155 

1,015 
155 

1,0S2 



227 

60 

16i 



The Erie and Champlain Canals, when 
first completed in 1825, had a prism 28 
feet wide at the bottom, and 40 feet wide 
at the surface of the water, which was 
four feet in depth. The chambers of the 
locks were 90 feet long by 15 feet wide, 
admitting boats 75 feet long, carrying 
about 45 to 50 tons. The size of the 
present locks is given in the foregoing^ 
table. The boats now navigating the 
Erie and Oswego Canals have a burden 
of about 225 to 250 tons in six feet 
draught of water. 

The Erie Enlarged Canal has VI locks, 
with a total lift of 569 feet, and the Oswe- 
go Canal has 18 I6ck8, with a total lift of 
155 feot. 



BRE A USTUFFS — FISHERIES — FISH. 



33 



The grain trade of the great West and 
Northwest is yet in its infancy. Every 
year the population is augmented by emi- 
gration from the Eastern and Middle 
States as well as from Europe. The 
strong arms of freemen are bringuig un- 



der cultivation the broad prairies upon 
wnich the industrious and enterprising 
settlers scatter broad-cast the seed, to be 
returned to them again in fields of waving 
grain, from which will be reaped a boun- 
tiful harvest. 



Imports of Breadstuff's into Great Britain. 

The following from the London Times will show the imports of breadstuffs into 
Great Britain for the years 1860, 1861, and 1862, ending December 31st in each year, 
viz.; 

1860. 1861. 1862. 

Wheat, Flour, Meal, cwt 5,139,188 6,331,375 *?, 314,317 

Wheat, qrs. of 8 bush 5,903,175 6,966,844 9,542,362 

Corn, " " 1,885,594 3,106,595 2,7^1,265 

Oats, " " 2,308,380 1,875,574 1,622,919 

Barley, " " 2,122,016 1,407,501 1,863,683 

Eye, " " 96,898 54,142 1,694 

Peas, " " 317,548 402,933 230,132 

Buckwheat, " " 714 5,143 

Beans, " " 440,860 564,477 479,758 

Total Gram, qrs. 8 bush ..... . 13,044,471 14,377,780 16,496,956 



The Times says: "The accounts have 
now been made up of the quantities of 
grain and flour imported into Great Bri- 
tain on the last year and preceding years 
since the introduction of free trade, and 
the result is remarkable, showing an ex- 
traordinary increase during the past year. 
Taking wheat and flour alone, we find 
that the lowest year was 1835, when the 
quantity of wheat imported into Great 
Britain was only 46,530 quarters, and of 
flour 84,684 cwt., while in 1862, no less 
than 9,541,362 quarters of wheat, and 
7,314,317 cwt. of flour were imported into 
the various ports of the country." 

The increase in 1862 over 1861 is 982,- 
942 cwt. of flour, and 2,575,518 quarters 
of wheat. There is a decrease on Indian 
corn of 355,330 quarters. 



FISHERIES-FISH. 

In the Sandusky bay, in the Maumee 
bay and Maumee river, in the Monroe 
bay, in the Detroit river, in the St. Clair 
river and rapids, in Lake Huron, from 
Huron to Point aux Barques, in the Au 
Sable river, in Thunder bay above Au 
Sable river, including Sugar Island, in 
Saginaw bay and river, in Tawas bay, 
between Thunder bay and Mackinac, in- 
cluding Hammond's bay, in and about 
Mackinac at Beaver Island and its sur- 
roundings, between the De Tour and the 
Sault, along the Eastern shore of Lake 
Michigan, in Green bay, in Wisconsin 
and Michigan, at Presque Isle, Pa., in 
Lake Superior's numerous bays and in- 
lets, are found the principal fishing 



34 



COMMERCE OF THE LAKES. 



grounds of the lakes; and the annual 
catch ranges from 60 to 100 thousand 
barrels, valued at four to six hundred 
thousand dollars. The lake fisheries are 
only second to the cod fisheries off the 
Atlantic coast, from Cape Cod Bay to 
Cape Breton, and are a source of very 
considerable wealth. 

The stock here will, probably, not ex- 
ceed twenty-five hundred packages : 



Lake Imports op Fish. 



Year*. Bbls. Years. Bblg. 

1854 11,752 1859 13,391 

1855 7,241 1860 26,655 

1856 6,250 1861 8,313 

1857 5,290 1862 8,647 

1858 4,203 



LUMBER AND STAVES. 

The Luml^er and Stave trade constitutes 
a very large portion of the freight carried 
on the lakes and canals, and is only second 
to grain. The larger portion of the East- 
ward movement usually takes place in mid- 
summer, when low rates of transporta- 
tion rule. The principal sources of sup- 
ply are the States of Ohio, Indiana, Mich- 
igan, Canada West, and Pennsylvania, of 
which more than fifty per cent, is from 
Michigan alone. In the northern penin- 
sula of that State, in and around Saginaw, 
at Port Huron, on St. Clair river, are the 
largest and finest lumber districts in the 
West and Northwest. 

The supply of staves is derived from 
Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Wisconsin, and 
Canada West, of which more than eighty 
per cent, of the receipts at Buffalo come 
from the States first mentioned. 

The following will sliow the imports at 
Buffalo of staves and lumber from 1846 
to 1862, inclusive, and the canal exports 
^om 1849 to 1862, inclusive: 



Lake Imports. 

Years. Stares, No. 

1S46 10.762,500 

JS47 8.800,000 

1548 8.091.000 

1S49 14,183.602 

1550 18,652,890 

1S51 10,696,006 

IS.yi 12.998,614 

1S53 9,215,240 

1S54 15,404,554 

1855 16,421,568 

1856 18,556,039 

1857 23,024,213 

1858 15,119.019 

1859 23,277.028 

1860 22.307,8:39 

1861 25,228,978 

1862 80,410,252 



Lamber, feeH 
84.536,000 
18,313.000 
21,425,000 
83,935,769 
53,076,000 
6S,Ott6,000 
72,337,225 
89,294,01)0 
67,407,008 
72,026,651 
60,584,812 
68,283,319 
67,059,173 

111,072,446 

111,094,496 
58.082,718 

125,289,971 



COPPER-LAKE SUPERIOR. 

The Copper Mines of Lake Superior 
were first brought into public notice in 
1845, when speculation was rife in all 
that spur of the Porcupine Mountains on 
the south shore of Superior, extending 
far into the lake, having for its base a line 
drawn across L'Anse Bay to Ontonagon. 
This was then the Northern El Dorado. Id 
this year operations were commenced at 
the Minnesota mine, which is about fifteen 
miles back of Ontonagon, The first large 
mass of native copper, weighing about 
seven tons, was found in a pit dug by the 
original lords of the soil. 

It is now only fourteen years since this 
mine was opened. At that time the rapids 
in the Sault St. Marie prevented the pas- 
sage of vessels from the lower lakes, and 
the adventurers that sought out this new 
El Dorado, had many obstacles to over- 
come. The country was then covered by 
a vast wilderness, without inhabitants, ex- 
cepting a few Indians. 

All supplies were brought from the 
lower lakes, and then liad to be passed 
over the Portage at St. Mary, and thence 
carried in frail vessels coasting to the 
westward, hundreds of miles to the cop- 
per regions, and then carriod on the buck 



COPPER LAKE SUPERIOR. 



35 



of man and beast to the supposed places 
of the copper deposit. Every stroke of 
the pick was made at a cost ten-fold more 
than in populated districts, every disaster 
delayed operations for weeks and even 
months. 

The opening of the St. Mary Canal, in 
1856, has produced a wondrous change in 
^ all this wilderness region. The only set- 
tlements on the south shore of the lake, 
at the present time, are Marquette, Port- 
age Lake, Ontonagon, Copper Harbor, 
Eagle Harbor, Eagle River, and the ad- 
jacent mines — all else is a vast wilderness, 
without sign of human habitation. 

The Copper region is divided into the 
three districts of Ontonagon, Keweenaw 
Point, and Portage Lake. Since 1845, 120 
Copper Mining Companies have been or- 
ganized under the General Law of Michi- 
gan ; more than six millions of dollars 
have been expended in explorations and 
mining improvements. The Minnesota 
and Cliff mines have declared and paid 
over two millions of dollars in dividends 
since the organization and working of 
these companies. 

Until 1860 all the Copper of the Lake 
Superior mines was smelted at Detroit, 
Cleveland, and Boston — since which time 
a Boston company have erected smelting 
works at Portage, Lake Superior, and 
new smelting works have been erected at 
Ontonagon. 

There is an annual product of Copper 
of about 2,500 to 5,000 tons at the Wel- 
lington mines, Lake Huron, which are 
worked by a Canadian company. 

Product op the Copper Districts — 
1864. 

The total copper product of Lake Supe- 
rior in 1864, as per tables pubUshed in 
the Mining Gazette and Miner ^ is 8,561^ 
tons, producing about 6,850 tons of ingot 
copper, worth $6,850,000; and from each 
district as follows; 



Tons. Lb«. 

Keweenaw District 2,54S 809 shipped. 

Portage Lake " 4,292 1,691 produced. 

Oatouagon " 1,722 5U0 shipped. 

Total 8,561 1,000 

This amount would have been from 
1,500 to 2,000 tons larger had it not been 
for the great falling off in the products of 
Minnesota — the scarcity of labor in some of 
the districts, and its employment largely 
in opening new mines. Instead of the 
whole amount of copper thus produced 
having been the yield of from 10 to 15 
mines, as was the case a few years ago — 
it is the product of 50; of which 18 are 
in tlie Keweenaw District ; 13 in the 
Portage Lake — which produced nearly 
one-half of the whole amount — and 19 in 
the Ontonagon, a fact that augurs grand 
results for the future. The mines are as 
follows : 

KEWEENAW DISTRICT. 

FROM EAGLE HABBOB. 

Tons. Lbs, 

Central 609 314 

CopperFalls 246 315 

Pennsylvania 136 151^2 

Amygdaloid 83 175 

Delaware 42 019 

Phoenix 8 500 

Petherick 5 1,003 

Madison — 259 

Total 1,130 1,742 

FKOM EAGLE KIVEE. 

Tons. Lbs. 

CliffMine 1,133 1,898 

Phoenix Mine 225 442 

Bay State 86 907 

Garden City 11 303 

St. Clair 5 093 

Manhattan 2 1,129 

J. Pooley (tribute from Eagle Paver) 1,803 

Arnold 986 

Total 1,415 1,066 

PORTAGE LAKE DISTRICT. 

Tons. Lbs. 

Quincy Mine 1,485 1,362 

Pewabic Mine 932 791 

Franklin Mine 781 880 

Isle Royale Mine 863 1,676 



36 



COMMERCE OF THE LAKES. 



Tons. Lba. 

Grand Portage Mine 816 196 

Huron Mine 810 1,622 

Hancock Mine 60 182 

Mesnurd Mine 23 190 

Sheldon-Columbian Mine 11 023 

Arcadian M ine 5 680 

Albany and Beaton Mine 3 040 

Douglass Mine 2 1,459 

St. Mary's Mine 2 590 

Total 4,292 1,691 

ONTONAGON DISTEICT. 

Tons. Lba. 

National 525 1.000 

Minnesota Mine 437 1.000 

Evergreen Bluff 224 1,500 

Rockland 197 829 

Knowlton 100 1,461 

Bohemian 47 500 

Superior 39 777 

Carp Lake 36 

Oisima 26 1,763 

Flint Steel River 19 1,000 

Caledonia 16 

Norwich 12 1,354 

Rid^e 12 340 

Hilton 7 500 

Mass 7 270 

Aztrc, estimited 5 

Winona, estimated 1 

Lake Superior 1 1,261 

AdveiJture 1 745. 

Total for the season 1,722 500 

The ^tna and Empire Mines have also 
shipped a small amouut from Copper Har- 
bor — a few tons. 

In all the Districts Copper Mining has 
been placed upon a firmer basis than 
heretofore existed, in the development of 
new and rich lodes, and the large accu- 
mulation of machinery and engines for 
still greater developments — as at the 
.^tna, Empire, Pennsylvania, Delaware, 
Amygdaloid, and Bay State Mines, in the 
Keweenaw District; in the very rich 
openings upon the North Isle Royal lode, 
at the Douglass, Arcadian, and Edwards 
Mines, in the discovery and partial open- 
ing of the South Pewabic lode, and in the 
continued richness of the Albany and 
Boston conglomerate, in the Portage Lake 



District ; in the discovery and opening of 
the Winona lode — reported to be among 
the largest anJ richest ever opened upon 
the lake, with new and valuable develop- 
ments at the many other mines in the 
Ontonagon District; with the entry and 
partial exploration of the 70,000 acres of 
copper-bearing lands upon Isle Royale — 
by some of the leading capitaUsts, as well 
as oldest and most successful copper men 
in New York City, who have organized 
upon it a company, known as the North 
American Mineral Land Co., that will at 
once prosecute mining vigorously and 
largely, — the explorations of the past 
summer having revealed the fact more 
fully than before known, that it abounds 
with very rich copper-bearing lodes, and 
especially upon the north side of the isl- 
and, where numerous fissure veins exist, 
carrying ollen heavy mass copper, and 
upon many of which are very extensive 
" ancient diggings." 

The following will show the shipments 
of Copper from the several Districts of 
Lake Superior, from 1845 to 1864, inclu- 
sive, viz. : 

AOGBE6ATB SHIPMENTS OF COPPER FROM LAKE 









SUPERIOR. 




Tons, Lbs. Valne. 


1845 1,3 


DO $ 290 


1:S46 ... 






29 .. 


2,619 


]&47 ... 






239 .. 


. . 107.550 


1S43 ... 






516 .. 


206.400 


1S49 ... 






750 . . 


. . 801.200 


1850 ... 






640 .. 


. . 266.000 


1851 ... 






872 .. 


. . 348,800 


1852 ... 






887 .. 


. . 300,450 


]S5;3 .. 






1,452 .. 


. . 508.200 


1854 ... 






2,300 .. 


. . 805.000 


1855 , . . 






.3.196 .. 


.. 1,437,000 


1856 . . . 






5,726 .. 


.. 2,400,100 


1857 ... 






5,759 .. 


.. 2,015,650 


1858 ... 






5,896 .. 


.. 1,610.000 


1859 ... 






6.041 .. 


.. 1,1132.000 


1860 ... 






8,614 .. 


.. 2,520,000 


1861 ... 






. ... 10.337 .. 


.. 3,180,000 


1S62 ... 






11,790 .. 


.. 4.788.000 


1863 . . . 






10,000 .. 


.. 5,500,000 


1864 ... 


.. 




8,561 1,0 


00 6,318,550 



IRON ORE AND IRON. 



31 



lEOK OKE. 

The connecting of the waters of Lake 
Superior with the waters of Lake Huron, 
by the construction of a ship canal three- 
ifourths of a mile in length, around the 
■ rapids in the Sault St. Maiy River, with 
prism and locks of sufficient capacity for 
passing the largest class of vessels navi- 
gating the lakes, completed very soon af- 
ter the discovery and working of the iron 
mines, has opened an already extensive 
commerce in iron ore, and pig-iron manu- 
factured near the mines, which are four- 
teen to eighteen miles from Marquette. 
These mines are about seven hundred feet 
above the level of the lake, and are con- 
nected with Marquette by a railroad. 

To show the rise and progression of 
this trade, we give below an interesting 
statement from the Marquette Journal of 
a late date : 



THE IRON PRODUCT OP LAKE SUPERIOR — 
SHIPMENTS OF IRON ORE. 

Jackson Cleveland Lake Sup'r Total 
Tear. Iroa Co. Iron Co. Iron Co, Gross Tons. 

1855 1,447 .... 1,447 

1856.... 4,497 7,100 .... 11,597 

1857.... 13,912 12,272 .... 26,184 

la'iS.... 11,104 19,931 .... 31,035 

1859.... 10,662 80,344 24,663 65.679 

I860.... 41,286 42,696 83,016 116,998 

1861.... 12.919 7.311 25.200 45.430 

1S62.... 42.767 85,244 37,710 115,721 

1863 ... 60.793 48.576 74.057 183.426 

1864.... 69,089 54,148 93,929 236,166 

Total amount shipped from 1855 to 1864. .833,683 
Pittsburgh and Lake Angeline, 1864, 19,000 

Grand total for ten years 852,683 

Total amount of pig iron shipped fk-om Mar- 
quette, from 1858 to 1864 42,050 tons. 



RECAPITULATION. 

Pate. '^'*"* ^^"' """""^ ^^' '''°'*' 

gross. gross. Value. 

1855 1,447 .... $14,470 

1856 11.597 .... 92,776 

1857 26,184 .... 209,472 

1858 31,035 1,627 249,269 

1859 65,679 7,258 575,521 

1860 116,998 5,660 736,490 

1861 45,430 7,970 410,460 

1862 115,721 8,590 984,976 

1863 183,426 8.000 1,013.604 

1864 236,166 12,951 1,957,81)0 

It will be seen from this statement that 
the shipments of iron ore in 1864 were 
236,166 tons, against 1,447 tons in 1855 ; 
and 12,951 tons of pig iron in 1864, 
against 1,627 tons in 1858. 

Marquette is the only point on Lake 
Superior where iron mines have been 
opened, although there are iron deposits 
in the mountains back of L'Anse. About 
eighteen miles from Marquette are the 
Iron mountains named the Lake Superior, 
the Jackson, the Collins, and the Cleve- 
land ; farther back, in the St. Clair Moun- 
tain, now the property of tho Washington 
Iron Company, is a highly magnetic ore. 
The mines now worked are tiie Jackson, 
Cleveland, Lake Superior, Iron Mountain, 
Pittsburgh and Lake Angeline, and Wash- 
ington, but these alone contain enough 
iron to supply the trade for many genera- 
tions. Still farther back from the lake 
rise mountains to eight hundred feet high, 
covering many hundreds of acres, which, 
it is believed from explorations already 
made, are solid iron ore. TJiere are now 
in operation at Marquette six iron mining 
companies, and six blast furnaces, for 
making charcoal pig-iron. 

The yield of these iron ores is 66f per 
cent., and of the best known to the com- 
merce of the world ; and smelts with less 
than half of the fuel heretofore required 



38 



COMMERCE OF THE LAKES. 



by other ores of the "West, thus doubling 
the product of a furnace without any in- 
crease for cost of fuel or labor — advan- 
tages that insure, at no remote period, a 
demand and annual production of millions 
of tons, and inevitably calculated to 
speedily revolutionize the whole iron trade 
of the West. 

The quality of the Lake Superior iron 
is conceded, by aU who have given it a 
trial, to be superior to any iron in the 
world, as is shown by the following anal- 
ysis of Professor Johnson, giving the 
strength per square inch in pounds : 



Salisbury, Conn., iron 58,000 

Swedish <best) 58,134 

En«riish Cable 69,105 

Centre County, Pa. 59,400 

Essex County, New York 59,962 

Lancaster County, Penn 76,069 

Common English and American 30,000 

Lake Superior. 89,582 



Large quantities of iron ore are taken 



from Marquette, Mich., to Detroit, Cleve- 
land, Toledo, Erie, and Buffalo. 

There is in the Lake Superior iron dis- 
trict enough ore to supply the world with 
iron. A new era in ship and boat build- 
ing is near at hand. Iron vessels will 
take the place of wood, when a largo 
amount of iron plates and beams will be 
required to construct iron ships and 
steamers. There is a network of rail- 
ways centring here, which will require 
a very large amount of railroad iron to 
replace that now in use. 

The opening of the iron trade of Lake 
Superior will, in the future, have an im- 
portant bearing upon the trade of the 
New York canals. The East will soon 
obtain its supply of pig, bar, and railroad 
iron from the West. 

AVith better and cheaper facilities for 
the transportation on the Erie Canal, the 
tonnage will assume a magnitude and im- 
portance commensurate with the demand 
for this all-important mineral product. 



Lake Superior Iron Region. 



The discovery of the Iron Mountain 
and mines of Lake Superior, situated on 
the upper peninsula of Michigan, was 
made in 1846, but owing to the cost of 
transhipment and transportation across 
the Portage at the Falls of St. Mary's 
River, but little was done to develop them 
until the completion of the St. Mary's 
Falls Ship Canal in 1855, which gave a 
new and lively impetus to the business, 
it now forming an important feature of the 
Lake Superior trade, employing a large 
number of sail-vessels and steamers. 

The mines at present worked are situ- 
ated from fourteen to twenty miles west 
of Marquette, on the line of tlie B'lydeKo- 
qatt and Marquette. Railroad^ and termina- 
tion oHhQ Ptiiinsula Railroad oi Michigan, 
affording every needed facility for trans- 
porting the ore by a down grade to the 



piers at Marquette and Escanaba for 
transhipment. 

■ The Jackson Iron Mountain, owned and 
worked by the Jackson Iron Company, is 
14 miles from Marquette ; the Cleveland 
Mountain, owned and worked by the 
Cleveland Iron Mining Company, is 2 
miles beyond Marquette Iron Company in 
the same vicinity ; the mines of the Lake 
Superior Iron Company are 18 miles, and 
the Pittsburgh and Lake Iron Mine 19 
miles from Marquette, tlie railroad being 
finished two miles farther. 

Three of the above companies have 
separate docks, besides one owned by the 
railroad company for general purposes, 
from whicli the 0"e is shipped to the 
Eastern markets. The railroad has an as- 
cending grade for 12 miles, overcoming 
an elevation of 850 feet bcfure reacUiug 



THE PENINSULA RAILROAD. 



a9 



the Iron Mountain, which rises abruptly 
about 100 feet. 

Other mines or mountains of iron ore 
are situated farther inland on the line of 
a proposed railroad to extend to Ontona- 
gon, passing near Lake Michigamme, over 
the rich copper region of Lake Superior. 
These mountains are a solid mass of iron 
ore, yielding from 60 to 10 per cent, of 
the best iron in the world. 

Foster and Whitney, in their report of 



1856, when speaking of the Jackson and 
Cleveland mines, say, "It would be utter- 
ly impossible to give an adequate idea of 
the immense amount of ore at this point 
— it Ues piled up in huge masses above 
the surface, and the depth of it cannot be 
determined, but probably extends farther 
down than ever will be dug to get it. 
Indeed, there is enough upon the surface 
to last for ages, to say nothing of other 
locaUties yet to be explored." 



The Peniii§ula Railroad of Michigan. 

From the Lake Superior Mining Journal, Dec. 16, 1864. 



Thia road is now completed and run- 
ning daily trains through to Negaunee — 
the junction with the Bay de Noquet and 
Marquette Railroad. The first stake was 
stuck on it on the 4th of July, 1863, 
hence it has been eighteen months in 
building. It is sixty-ihree and a half 
miles in length, and has no grade which 
exceeds sixty feet to the mile. It con- 
nects what has heretofore been consid- 
ered the great focal point of the iron dis- 
trict with Little Bay de Noquet, at a place 
known as Sand Point, where the vUlage 
of EsCANABA has, since the commence- 
ment of the road, been built. The im- 
portance of this road to our mining inter- 
ests cannot be well over-estimated, not 
because it can carry all the ore that is to 
be mined at less rates than it can be car- 
ried by Lake Superior, but because it adds 
another outlet for our inexhaustible sup- 
ply of mineral wealth. 

Heretofore we have been shut up from 
the world one half the year, because, how- 
ever pleasant steamboats may be for sum- 
mer travel, they cannot reach us during 
the winter, and our only route out has 
been over a very indiD'erent sleigh road, 
a distance of nearlv two hundred miles. 
Hereafter we can reach Escanaba by rail, 
and if there is not a culpability for which 
tliere is no extenuation, we shall have a 



good road from that point to Green Bay 
City. Escanaba is accessible by steamers 
from the middle of April to the middle or 
last of December, and a line of good pro- 
pellers from Cleveland and Detroit, Grand 
Haven, or Chicago, to that place, could 
bring a large quantity of freight which 
our Lake Superior boats fail to bring us 
late in the fail. 

Chicago is the grain market, the live- 
stock market, and the hay market for us 
to trade in at present, but will not be 
long. Minnesota, vid Superior City, and 
our own soil, are soon to supply us these 
necessaries. 

But leaving all these secondary inter- 
ests out of the question, the Peninsula 
Railroad is destined to be one of the very 
best roads, both to its stock-ovnaers and 
to the country which it aids to develop, 
that American enterprise has recently 
constructed. It is the means directly and 
indirectly of opening iron mines which 
will have a capacity in a few years of not 
less than a million gross tons per annum, 
and will supply the route for slapping 
most or all of it. Besides this, it will stim- 
ulate enterprise, and bring into our country 
such an amount of wealth as we had for- 
merly dreamed would only be developed 
on these shores in the coming centu- 
ries. 



40 



COMMERCE OF THE LAKES. 



CANAL COMMERCE. 



The construction of the Erie Canal was 
commenced in the year 1817, and the 
waters of Lake Erie were united with the 
waters of the Hudson river on the 26th 
of October, 1826. The first revenue from 
the Osweg-o canal was received in 1828. 
This work was at first suggested as early 
as 1816, by a memorial from the city of 
New York to the Legislature. As early 
as 1724, Cadwallader Golden, then Sur- 
veyor-General of the province of New 
York, described the route as practical to 
Lakes Champlain and Ontario. 

The Erie Canal is one of the largest 
and most important canals in the world. 
Notwithstanding the contracted scale of 
the first structure, the predictions of its 
projector, DeWitt Chnton, have been more 
than verified. 

This work was urged by Gov. DeWitt 
Chnton in 1791, and in 1792 by General 
Schuyler; by Surveyor-General DeWitt 
in 1808, and at every meeting of the 
Legislature tiU. 1817, when the work was 
commenced. In 1810 Governeur Morris, 
Stephen Van Rensselaer, De Witt Chnton, 
Peter B. Porter, and others, were, by 
joint resolution of the Legislature, ap- 
pointed as Commissioners for exploring 
the route from the Hudson river to Lakes 
Ontario and Erie. 

In 1812 these Commissioners, in their 
report to the Legislature, estimated that, 
in 1832, there would be 250,000 tons 
brought down the canals, whicli estimate 
fell very considerably short of the amount 
carried on the canals during that year. 

This work is 352 mUes in length, from 
Buffalo to Albany, and 345 miles from 
Buffalo to Troy. The rise and fall from 
Lake Erie to the Hudson is 692 feet. 
The prism was originally 40 feet wide at 
the surface, and 28 feet at tlie bottom, 
and four feet deep, with locks of sufficient 



size to pass boats drawing 3^^ feet of 
water, 14 feet beam by 80 feet long. 

The original cost of the first structure 
was $9,027,456. 

In 1835 the Legislature passed an act 
providing for its enlargement. Under 
this and other acts, the prism of the canal 
has been increased so as to be 70 feet on 
the surface, 42 feet on the bottom, and 7 
feet in depth, with locks 110 feet long by 
18 feet wide, passing boats 96^ feet long 
by 17^ feet beam, drawing 5 feet 10 inch- 
es to 6 feet of water. 

There are now 71 locks on the Erie 
canal between Buffalo and Albany, and 18 
locks on the Oswego canal between Syra- 
cuse and Oswego. 

The enlargement is now completed after 
the plan adopted in 1835, with some modi- 
fications, at an additional cost of about 
fifty millions of dollars. 

Connecting with the main trunk of the 
Erie canal are the Champlain, 64 miles 
long ; the Chenango, 98 miles ; the Black 
River, 103 miles; the Chemung canal; 
the Genesee Valley canal, besides sever- 
al other connecting hnks, making, with 
the Erie and Oswego canals, a total of 
1,028 miles of canal, including 100 miles 
of slack water navigation connected by 
canals, within and belonging to the Stat© 
of New York. 



Cost and Revenues op the New York 
Canals. 

The State Auditor, in his report to the 
Legislature in 1863, makes a balance sheet, 
from which the following summary of the 
revenue from all sources, from 1817 to 
and including September 30th, 1862, and 
the disbursements for all purposes for the 
same period, has been made, viz. : 



Receipts. 

Gross canal tolls $81,088,953 45 

Direct taxes on the 
people 8,806,881 94 

Indirect taxes, viz: 

Auc. dut's$3,592,089 05 

Salt duties 2,055,45806 

Tax ou 
St'inboat 
passeug. 73,509 99 

5,721,00710 

♦General Fund for De- 
ficienciea 1,386,498 88 

Sales canal lauds 820,518 15 

Interest on invest- 
ments and deposits . 3,723,417 12 

Premiums ou loans. . 2,294,594 23 

Rents, surplus w't's.. 89,42174 

Elmira and Chemung 

Canal Feeder 290,097 66 

Miscellaneous sources 1,569,709 38 



$104,791,104 65 



Disbursements. 



Prems. on purchase of 

stocks, commis., &,c. $366,799 79 

Interest on loans 31,821,403 12 

Con tractors, Collectors, 

Weighma8ter8,«fec,. 22,561,813 92 
Commissioners for 

construction 61,218,596 85 

Contrib'n 

to Gen. 

Fund.. $4,137, 602 73 
Do. Gen'l 
fund debt 4,234,416 66 

8,372,019 89 

$124,340,633 07 

Balance due $19,549,528 42 

•Received from General Fund 1,386,498 88 

Canal debt unpaid and unprovided 
for $20,936,027 30 

The magnitude of the trade and ton- 
nage of the New York Canals will be 
shown by the following exhibit, giving 
the tonnage and revenue in each year 
from 1820 to 1862, inclusive: 



3820. 
1821. 
1822. 
1823. 
1824. 



Tonnage. 



Toll, all 


Toll rec'd 


N. y. C'ls. 


at Buffalo. 


$5,244 




23,388 


.... 


64,072 


.... 


190,635 




840,642 


. .. 



Tonnage 

1825 

1826 

1827 

1828 

1829 

1830 

1831 

1832 

1833 

1834 

1835 

1836 1,310,807 

18:37 1,171,296 

1838 1,133,011 

1839 1,435,713 

1840 1,416,046 

1841 1,521,661 

1842 1,236,931 

1843 1,513,439 

1844 1,816,586 

1845 1,985,011 

1846 2,268,662 

1847 2,869,810 

1848 2,796,230 

1849 2,894,732 

1850 3,076,617 

1851 3,582,733 

1852 3,863,441 

1853 2,247,852 

1854 4,165,862 

1855 4,022,617 

1856 4,116,082 

1857 4,344,061 

1858.... 3,665,192 

1859 3,781,684 

1860 4,650,214 

1861 4,507,635 

1862 5,598,785 

1863 5,557,692 



Toll, all 
K Y. C'ls. 
$566,279 
765,104 
859,260 
833,444 
813,137 
1,056,922 
1,22:3,808 
1,229,483 
1,462,820 
1,341,329 
1,548,986 
1,614.336 
1,292,623 
1,590,911 
1,016.382 
1,775,747 
2,034,882 
1,749,196 
2,081,590 
2,446,374 
2,646,181 
2,756,106 
3,635.381 
3,252,212 
3,268.226 
8,278,899 
3,329,717 
3,118,244 
3,204,718 
2,773,566 
2.805.077 
2,948,203 
2,045.644 
2,110,754 
1,723,945 
8,009,597 
8,908,785 
5,188,943 
4,645,207 



Toll roc'd 
at Bull'alo, 



$106,213 



1,216,701 

672,613 

757,491 

703,498 

777,102 

802,657 

695,897 

685,310 

755,905 

598,470 

719,638 

552,432 

1,137,315 

2,101,635 

3,0&4,082 

2,662,335 



A comparison of the tonnage and rev- 
enue of the New York canals in 1861 
and 1862, will show an augmentation in 
revenue of $1,280,158 from tolls, while 
the tonnage was increased 1,091,150 tons. 

The aggregate tons carried on the New 
York canals since they first went into 
operation, will vary but httle from eighty- 
two milHons of tons, valued at upwards 
of four thousand miUions of dollars, from 
which the State has received a gross 
revenue of upwards of eighty-one millions. 

There is, probably, not another system 

of pubUc works in any country on the 

face of the globe that has produced in so 

short a period of time such stupendous 

i results. 



4% 



COMMERCE OF THE LAKES. 



There are other commercial interests of 
great magnitude not mentioned in the 
above extracts from the Report of the 
Trade and Commerce of Buffalo, of M^hich 
we might enumerate different kinds of 
grain, beef, pork, butter, cheese, whiskey, 
alcohol, hides and leather, coal, wool, 
potatoes, fruit, &c. 

The trade with Canada, and with for- 
eign ports, passing through the Welland 
Canal, and down the St. Lawrence River 
to the Atlantic, is of great and growing 
importance — destined, no doubt, to in- 
crease immensely on the opening of the 
proposed Ship Canal, to connect with the 



Mississippi River, terminating at Chicago, 
Illinois, and other internal improvements. 
A railroad route from the Upper Missis- 
sippi, commencing near St. Paul, Minne- 
sota, has been surveyed, and will, no 
doubt, terminate at Superior City, or Bay- 
field, favorably situated on the South 
Shore of Lake Superior. 

The incalculable advantages of this lat- 
ter communication, to Lake Commerce, - 
can only be realized when fully completed 
— thus draining Northern Iowa, Minneso- 
ta, and Dacotah of their rich agricultural 
products — all of which will flow eastward 
to the Atlantic, and European markets. 



TRADE AND COMMERCE OF CHICAGO. 

Extract from the Report of the Committee on Statistics, 1863. 



As an evidence of the increase of agri- 
cultural products since 1859, consequent 
on improved crops and an enlarged area 



of cultivation, your Committee would di- 
rect attention to the provision trade of 
Chicago for the last four years. 



TABLE, 



SHOWING THE RECEIPTS AT CHICAGO OF THE ARTICLES NAMED FOE THE 
TEARS 1859-'62. 



ARTICLES. 


1859. 


1860. 


1861. 


1862. 


Flour, 


barrels 


726,321 


713,348 


1,479,284 


1,666,391 


Wheat, 


bushels. . . 


. 8,060,766 


14,427,083 


17,385.002 


13,978,116 


Corn, 


u 


. 5,401,870 


15,262,394 


26,369,989 


29,574,328 


Oats, 


(( 


. 1,757,696 


2,198,889 


2,067,018 


4,688,722 


Rye, 


<( 


231,514 


318,976 


490,989 


1,038,825 


Barley 


u 


652,696 


617,619 


457,589 


872,053 


Hogs. . 




271,204 


392 864 


675,902 
204,579 


1,348,890 


Cattle . 




111,694 


177,101 


209,655 



Thus the increase in cereals has been 
196 per cent. ; in hogs, 400 per cent. ; and 
in cattle, 87 per cent. 

Results equally marked are shown by 
the returns of the other lake-ports 

The committee of the Chicago Board of 
Trade, in a recent Report, say : 

'• In the early settlement of the "West, 
the Mississippi was the only outlet for the 
products of the country ; but the open- 



ing of the New York and Canadian canals, 
and of not less than five trunk railways 
between the East and West, has rendered 
the free navigation of the Mississippi a 
matter of secondary importance. 

" The heated waters of a tropical sea, 
destructive to most of our articles of ex- 
port, a malarious climate, shunned by 
every Northerner for at least one-half of 
the year, and a detour in the voyage of 



TRADE AND COMMER'^E OF CIITCAGO. 



43 



over 3,000 miles in a direct line to the 
markets of the world, — these consider- 
ations have been sufficiently powerful to 
divert the great flow of animal and veg- 
etable food from the South to the East. 
Up to 1860, the West found a local mar- 
ket for an inconsiderable portion of her 
breadstuffs and provisions in the South ; 
but after supplying this local demand, the 
amount which was exported from New 
Orleans was insignificant, hardly exceed- 
ing two millions of dollars per annum." 

The annual report of the Secretary of 
the Treasury for the year ending August 
31, 1860, shows the amount of bread- 
stuffs and provisions exported to foreign 



FLOUR. 

bbls. 
965,860 

These facts 



WHEAT. 

sacks and bbls. 
339,348 

show conclusively that, 



with the navigation of the Mississippi un- 
obstructed, the great mass of Western 



countries from New Orleans and New 

i''or"K respeclively, as follows: 

From From 

New Orleans. New York. 

Wheat, bushels 2,189 l,8-0,t)()S 

Whi-:it Flour, barrels 8().r>41 1.187.2(iO 

Indian Corn, bushels 224.882 l,5>i»,i>14 

Indian Meal, barrels 158 86.073 

Pork, barrels 4,250 109,879 

Hams and bacon, pounds 890,280 16,161,749 

The total receipts of grain of all kinds, 
at that port, in no single year exceeded 
14,500,000 bushels, either for exportation 
or consumption in the interior, which 
are about the receipts at Milwaukee, or 
Toledo. In 1859-60, the receipts were as 
follows : 

CORN. OATS. 

sacks and bbls. sacks and bbls. 

1,722,637 659,550 

exports would flow through other chan- 
nels. 



PRODUCT OF BREADSTUFFS FOR EXPORTATION. 



The amount of cereals, which, in 1862, 
flowed out of the Upper Mississippi Val- 
ley and the region of the Lakes, en route 
for the sea-board, was, according to the 



Buffalo Trade Report, 136,329,542 bush- 
els, which were respectively forwarded 
from the following points : 



STATEMENT SHOWINa THE SHIPMENT OF CEREALS FOR 1862. 



Places. Flour, 

bbls. 

W. Terminus B. & 0. R. R.* 690,000 

" Pennsylvania Central 890,696 

Dunkirk 1,095,365 

Suspension Bridge* 875,000 

Buffalo 2,846,022 

Oswego 235,382 

Cape Vincent 48,576 

Ogdensburgh 576,394 

Montreal 1,101,475 

Rochester* 1,000 



Wheat, 
bush. 



Corn, 
bush. 



112,001 

30,435,831 

10,982,132 

316.403 

689,930 

8,012,773 

150,000 



149,654 

24,288,627 

4,528,962 

249,369 

1,120,176 

2,649,136 



Other Grain 

bush. 

550,000 

1,622,893 

10,173 

2,750,000 

3,849,620 

1,467,823 

49,047 

18,865 

519,896 

6,622 



Totals 8,359,910 50,699,130 32,985,923 10,844,939 

Grand Total — (Flour reduced to bushels) 136,329,542 

* Estimated. 



44 



COMMERCE OF THE LAKES. 



SHIPMENTS OP CEREALS FROM FOUR LAKE PORTS, IN 1862. 



Places. 



Flour, 
bbls. 



Chicago 1,739,849 

Milwaukee 711,405 

Toledo* 1,261,291 

Detroitt 998,535 



Wheat. 

bush. 

13,808,898 

14,915,680 

9,314,491 

3,278,033 



Corn. 

bush. 

29,452,610 

9,489 

3,781,634 

310,618 



Other Grain. 

bush. 
4,516,357 
250,292 

122,109 



Totals 4,711,080 41,317,102 33,554,351 4,888,758 

Grand Total — (Flour reduced to bushels) 103,315,611 



The mining population of Lake Superior 
absorb not less than 150,000 bushels of 
cereals, which do not appear in the above 
tables, and which will account for the dis- 
crepancies between the amounts shipped 
from the initial points, and the amounts 
forwarded from the secondary points. 
These tables are illustrative, as showing 
that, in this great grain-movement, the 
four lake ports furnish more than fifty 



per cent, of all the flour, more than eighty 
per cent, of all the wheat, and more than 
seventy-five per cent, of the cereals of all 
kinds ; while Chicago and Toledo together 
furnish more corn than finds its 
way eastward through all these ave- 
nues, and Chicago alone contributes more 
than forty per cent, of the whole grosa 
product. 



Shlpmeiit§ of Flour and Orain for 13 Years. 

The following table shows the shipments of all kinds of Grain from Chicago, for 
the past thirteen years : 

Shipments of Flour (reduced to Wheat) and Grain, from Chicago, /or thirteen years. 

Wheat. Corn. Oats. Rye. Barley. Total 

Year. Bushels. Bushels. Bushels. Bushels. Bushels. Bushels. 

1851 799,380 3,221,317 605,827 19,997 .... 4,646,291 

1852 941,470 2,757,011 2,030.317 127,028 17.315 6,873,141 

1853 1,680,993 2,780.25:? 1,748.493 120.275 82,162 6,412.181 

1854 2.744,b60 6,637.899 3.239.987 148,421 41.153 12.932.320 

1855 7,110,270 7.547,678 l,8b8.533 92,023 20,132 16.633,700 

1866 9.419,365 11.129,658 1,014,547 . 19,051 590 21,583 221 

1857 10.783.292 6,814,615 316,773 17,993 .... 18,032.678 

1858 10.909,24:3 7,493,212 1,498,134 127,003 7,569 20,035.166 

1859 10,759.359 4,217,654 1,174.177 478,162 131,449 16,753.795 

1860 15,892.857 13,700.113 1,091,698 156,642 267,449 31.108,759 

1861 23.855.553 24.372.725 1.63:?,237 39:3,813 226.534 50.481,b62 

1862 22.508.143 29.452,610 8.112,366 871,796 539.195 56.484,110 

1863-4 18,298,532 24,906,934 9,909,1*5 683,946 943,252 54,741,839 

NoTB.— The last line represents shipments from April 1, 1863, to April 1, 1864. 



TRADE AND COMMERCE OF CHICAGO. 



45 



PORK AND BEEF PACKING. 



The progress which has been made in 
Pork Packing in Chicago during the past 
two years, is probably without a parallel 
in the history of any other city in the 
United States. 

During the past year there have been 
erected along the River seven large Pork 
and Beef houses, all of which have been 
constructed on the most approved plans. 
Besides these, there have been built a 
large number of smaller structures, of 
more or less permanence; all of which, 
with the temporary occupation of stores, 
outhouses, &c., give great additional fa- 
cilities in the extension of this business. 
As the season is not yet closed, we can 
only judge of the packing for 1862-'3, by 
the number cut from the commencement 
of the season, till January 1, which foots 
up 539,216, against 229,850, packed dur- 
ing the same period in 1861 — an increase, 
thus far, of 309,366. 

During the past two seasons, a large 
proportion of the Hogs cut have been 
made into English Middles, for the Liver- 
pool and London markets. In the early 
part of this season, nearly every packing 
house in the city was engaged in this 
branch of the business. The favor with 
which Chicago brands have been received 
in the leading markets of England, war- 
rants us in the belief that the trade will 
be one of permanence. 



TABLE - 

Shovoing th« nxmiber of Hoos Received and 
Forwarded forfite years. 



RECEIVED, 

YEAR. Live. Dressed. 

1858. 416.225 124.261 

1859 188,671 82,533 

1860 285rl49 107,715 

1861 M9,039 126,863 

1 862 1,110,971 237,919 



FORWARDED. 

YBAB. Live. Dressed. 

18.^8 159,181 82.8.32 

1S59 87,254 22,992 

1860 191,931 85,233 

1861 216,982 72,112 

1862 446,506 44,629 



Total. 
192,018 
110,246 
227,164 
289.094 
491,135 



Total. 
540,486 
271,204 
892,864 
675.902 



BEEF CATTLE. 

The past year has shown but a small 
increase in the Cattle Trade of Chicago. 

By the tables which follow, it wiU be 
seen that the receipts of Cattle at this 
point amount to 209,655 against 204,579 
in 1861, an increase of 5,076 head; and 
the shipments to 112,745 against 124,146, 
in the same period of time. Showing a 
decrease of 11,401. 

TABLE 

Shotoing the nicmber of Cattlk Received and 
Foi warded for five years. 

Received in 1858 140,5-54 

1859 111,694 

1860 177,101 

" 1861 204.579 

" 1862 209,655 

Forwardedln 1858 42,633 

1859 37,584 

" 1860 97,474 

" 1861 124.146 

« 1862 112,745 

The cereals and agricultural products 
shipped from Chicago consist of corn, 
wheat, rye, oats, barley, butter, cheese, 
potatoes, wool, hides, &c. The products 
of the forest are lumber, and wood of dif- 
ferent kinds. The minerals are coal, &c. ; 
while fisheries furnish large quantities of 
cured fish of different kinds for exporta- 
tion ; altogether giving employment to a 
large amount of tonnage navigating the 



1,348,890 1 great lakes. 



TRIP THROUGH THE LAKES, 

OiTing a Description of €itie§, To^vn§, &c. 




~7~^>4-~~ '-:— 



Buffalo, "Queen City of the Lakes," 
possessing commanding advantages, being 
22 miles above Niagara Falls, is distant 
from Albany 298 miles by railroad, and 
about 350 miles by the line of the Erie 
Canal; in N. lat. 42* 53', W. long. 78° 55' 
from Greenwich. It is favorably situated 
for commerce at the head of Niagara River, 
the outlet of Lake Erie, and at the foot 
of the great chain of Upper Lakes, and is 
the point where the vast trade of these 
inland seas is concentrated. The harbor, 
formed of Buflalo Creek, lies nearly east 
and west across the southern part of the 
city, and is separated from the waters of 
Lake Erie by a peninsula between the 
creek and lake. This harbor is a very 
secure one, and is of such capacity, that 
although steamboats, ships, and other 
lake craft, and canal-boats, to the number, 
in all, of from three to four hundred, have 
sometimes been assembled there for the 
transaction of the business of the lakes, 
jet not one-half part of the water accom- 
modations has ever yet been occupied by 
the vast business of the great and grow- 



ing "West. The harbor of Buffalo 
is the most capacious, and really 
the easiest and safest of access 
on our inland waters. Improve- 
ments are annually made by 
dredging, by the construction of 
^^ new piers, wharves, warehouses, 
ft and elevators, which extend its 

facilities, and render the discharge 

^^ and trans-shipment of cargoes 
^^" more rapid and convenient ; and 
in this latter respect it is without 
an equal. 

Buffalo was first settled by the whites 
in 1801. In 1832 it was chartered as a 
city, being now governed by a mayor, re- 
corder, and board of twenty-six aldermen. 
Its population in 1830, according to the 
United States Census, was 8.668; in 1840, 
18,213; and in 1850, 42,261. Since the 
latter period the limits of the city have 
been enlarged by taking in the town of 
Black Rock ; it is now divided into thir- 
teen wards, and, according to the Census 
of 1860, contained 81,130 inhabitants, be- 
ing now the third city in point of size in 
the State of New York. The pubhc build- 
ings are numerous, and many of them fine 
specimens of architecture ; while the pri- 
vate buildings, particularly those for busi- 
ness purposes, are of the most durable 
construction and modern style. The man- 
ufacturing establishments, including sev- 
eral extensive ship-yards for the building 
and repairing of lake craft, are also numer- 
ous, and conducted on a large scale, pro- 
ducing manufactured articles for the 
American and Canadian markets. 

The principal public buildings are an 



BUFFALO TO DETROIT NORTH SHORE ROUTE. 



47 



U. States Custom-IIouse and Post-Oflfice ; 
City Hall; Court-House and Jail; 2 Thea- 
tres, and 60 Churches of different denom- 
inations. Here are also 8 banking houses, 
4 Savings Banks, and several Fire and 
Marine Insurance Companies. 

The Lines of Steamers and Railroads 
diverging from Buffalo tend to make it one 
of the greatest thoroughfares in the Un- 
ion. Steamers and propellers run to Cleve- 
land, Sandusky, Toledo, Detroit, Mackinac, 
Saut Ste. Marie, Green Bay, Milwaukee, 
Chicago, &c. 

Railroads running from Buffalo. 

1. Neio York Ctniral, to Albany and 
Troy, 298 miles. 

2. Buffalo, Niagara Falls, and Lewiston, 
28 miles. 

3. Buffalo, New York, and Erie, to the 
city of New York, 434 miles. 

4. Lake Shore Railroad, to Cleveland, 
Ohio, 183 miles. 

5. Buffalo and Lake Huron Railway^ 
161 miles. 

6. Great Western (Canada) Railvmy 
(Sus. Bridge to Detroit, Mich.), 230 miles. 

There are also four lines of City Rail- 
roads running to different points within 
the limits of Buffalo. 

The principal Hotels are the Tiffi Home, 
and Mansion House, on Main street ; Bon- 
ney's Hotel, on Washington street; the 
Everett House, facing the Terrace ; and the 
Wad'iworth House, on Exchange street. 

There are now running from Buffalo to 



different ports on Lake Erie and the Up- 
per Lakes seven different Lines of Pro- 
pellers, annually transporting an immense 
amount of merchandise and produce, 
which finds its exit eastward by means of 
the Erie Canal, and the several Railroad 
Lines. 

"The climate of Buffalo is, without 
doubt, of a more even temperature than 
any other city in the same parallel of lati- 
tude from the Mississippi to the Atlantic 
coast. Observations have shown that the 
thermometer never ranges as low in win- 
ter, nor as high in summer, as at points in 
Massachusetts, the eastern and. central 
portions of this State, the northern and 
southern shores of Lake Erie in Michigan, 
Northern Illinois, and Wisconsin. The 
winters are not as keen, nor the summers, 
cooled by the breezes from the lake, as 
sultry ; and in a sanitary point of view, 
it is probably one of the healthiest cities 
in the world. 

" London, usually considered the health- 
iest of cities, has a ratio of one death in 
forty inhabitants. The ratio of Buffalo is 
one in fifty-six. The favorable situation 
of the city for drainage, and for a supply 
of pure water ; its broad, well-paved 
streets, hned with shrubbery and shade- 
trees ; its comparatively mild winters ; its 
cool summers ; its pleasant drives and 
picturesque suburbs, and its proximity to 
the ^ Falls, ^ combine to render it one of 
the most desirable residences on the con- 
tinent." 



BUFFALO TO DETROIT-NORTH SHORE ROUTE. 



On leaving the wharf at Buffalo, the 
Steamers usually run direct for Long 
Point jn the Canada, or North Shore of 
Lake Erie, proceeding for most of the 
distance in British waters, to the mouth 
of Detroit River. 

Long Point, 65 miles from Buffalo, 



is a long strip of land, nearly 20 mile3 
long, and from one to three miles in width, 
covered for the most part with a stunted 
growth of forest trees. It was formerly 
a peninsula, running out from the land 
in an easterly direction, nearly half way 
across the lake; but the waters having 



4a 



TRIP THROUGH THE LAKES. 



made a wide breach across its western 
extremity, has converted it into an island. 
There is an important hght-house on the 
east end to guicie the mariner on his pas- 
sage through Lake Erie, here about 40 
miles wide, and where is found the great- 
est depth of water. To this Point both 
shores of the lake can be seen in a clear 
morning from the deck of the steamer, 
affording a most grand sight when the 
sun rises on a cloudless day. Then may 
usually be seen a fleet of vessels wending 
their way toward Buffalo or the mouth of 
the Welland Canal, through which chan- 
nel annually passes a great number of 
steam propellers and sail vessels on their 
way to Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence 
River 

Port Colborne, C. W., situated about 
20 miles west of Buffalo, lies at the mouth 
of the Welland Canal, while 

Port Maitland, some 20 miles far- 
ther, is situated at the mouth of Grand 
River, where is a navigable feeder com- 
municating with the canal, thus affording 
two entrances to the above canal. 

Port Dover, about 70 miles west of 
Buffalo, and 40 miles distant from Ham- 
ilton by proposed railroad route, is situated 
on the north shore of Lake Erie, at the 
mouth of the river Lynn. Here is a good 
harbor, and the village is a place of grow- 
ing importance, containing about 1,000 
inhabitants. 

Port Ryerse and Port Rowan are 
small villages on the Canada shore, situ- 
ated on the bay formed by Long Point. 
Inland there is to . be found a rich and 
fine farming district, consisting of some 
of the best lands in Canada West. 

The Sand Hills, immediately west of 
Long Point, are seen for some distance 
as the steamer pursues her onward course 
toward Point aux Pinf>, passing through 
the widest part of the lake, where both 
shores are lost sight of for a number of 
miles. The water usually presents a clear 
green color in the middle, but near the 



shore is more or less tinged with muddy 
water, proceeding from the streams empty- 
ing into the lake. 

Port Burwell, C. W., about 35 miles 
west of Long Point, is handsomely situ- 
ated at the mouth of Otter Creek. Here 
is a light-house and good harbor. A 
large amount of lumber and other pro- 
ducts are annually exported from this 
place to Eastern markets. 

Port Stanley, about 25 miles far- 
ther west, is handsomely situated at the 
mouth of Kettle Creek, being in part sur- 
rounded by high and picturesque hills in 
the immediate vicinity. The harbor is 
well protected, and much frequented by 
British and American vessels running on 
Lake Erie. It is nine miles south of St. 
Thomas, and twenty-four from London, 
the chief town of the county of Middle- 
sex, for which place it may be considered 
the out-port. A plank-road runs between 
the two places; also, the London ana 
Port Stanley Railroad, connecting with 
the Great Western Railway of Canada. 
Steamers run from Port Stanley to Buf- 
falo, Cleveland, and other ports on Lake 
Erie. 

Point aux Pins, or Rond' Eau (usually 
called by the American navigators Bound 
0), about 100 miles west of Long Point, 
is a cape which projects from the Canada 
shore, enclosing a natural basin of about 
6,000 acres in extent, with a depth of 
from ten to twelve feet, thus forming an 
excellent and secure harbor, the entrance 
to which has been improved by the Cana- 
dian government by running out piers, 
etc. It is proposed to construct a ship 
canal from this port to the St. Clair River, , 
a distance of about 35 miles, thus avoid- 
ing the St. Clair Flats. Another Canadian 
project is to construct a canal from Gode- 
rich to Hamilton, C. W., about 120 milea 
in length. 

Point Pelee, lying about 40 miles 
east of the mouth of Detroit River, pro- 
jects a number of miles into Lake Erie, 



DETROIT RIVER BUFFALO TO DETROIT NORTH SHORE ROUTE. 



49 



and forms, in connection with the island 
of Point Pelee and other islands in the 
vicinity, the most picturesque portion of 
lake scenery to be met with on this in- 
land sea. 

FoiXT Pel^b Island, belonging to 
Canada, is about seven miles long, and 
two or three miles in width. It is in- 
habited by a few settlers. The island is 
said to abound with red cedar, and pos- 
sesses a fine lime-stone quarry. A light- 
house is situated on the east side. 

The steamers bound for Detroit River 
usually pass to the north side of Point 
Pelee Island, and run across Pigeon Bay 
toward Bar Point, situated at the mouth 
of Detroit River. Several small islands 
are passed on the south, called Eaut Sister, 
Middle Sister, and West Sister; also, in 
the distance, may be seen the Bass 
Islands, known as the "^N'orth Bass," 
"Middle Bass," and "South Bass." On 
the west side of the latter lies the secure 
harbor of Put-in-Bay, celebrated as the 
rendezvous of Com, Perry's fleet, before 
and after the glorious naval victory which 
he achieved over the British fleet, Sep- 
tember 10th, 1813. 

Detroit River, forming one of the 
links between the Upper and Lower Lakes, 
is next approached, near the mouth of 
which may be seen a light on the Michi- 
gan shore called Gibraltar Liijht, and an- 
other light on an island attached to Can- 
ada, the steamers usually entering the 
river through the east or BriUfih Channel 
of the river, although vessels often pass 
through the west or American, Channel. 
Amherstburgh, C. W., 18 miles 

j below Detroit, is an old and important 
towiL Tlie situation is good; the banks 
of the river, both above and below the 

{village, but particularly the latter, Avhere 
the river emerges into Lake Erie, are very 
beautiful; several handsome residences 



may here be seen, surrounded by highly 
cultivated grounds. About a mile below 
the town is a chalybeate spring, which ia 
said to resemble the waters of Chelten- 
ham, in England. British and American 
vessels frequently land at Amherstburg, 
on their trips to and from the Upper 
Lakes. 

Fort ]\[alden, capable of accommo- 
dating a regiment of troops, is situated 
about half a mile above Amherstburg, 
on the east bank of the river, the channel 
of which it here commands. 

At Brownstowx, situated on the 
opposite side of the river, in Michigan, ia 
the battle-ground where the Americana, 
under disadvantageous circumstances, and 
with a slight loss, routed the British 
forces, which lay in ambush, as the former 
were on their way to relieve the fort at 
Frenehtown, which event occurred August 
5, 1812. 

SA.NOWICH, C. W., is beautifuU~ sit- 
uated on the river, two miles below 
Detroit, and nine miles below Lake St. 
Clair. It stands on a gently sloping bank 
a short distance from the river, which is 
here about a mile wide. This is one of 
the oldest settlements in Canada "West. 
The town contains 3,133 inhabitants. 

Windsor, C. W., situated in the 
township of Sandwich, is a village direct- 
ly opposite Detroit, with which it is con- 
nected by three steam ferries. It was 
laid out in 1834, and is now a place of 
considerable business, having a population 
of about 2,500 inhabitants. Here ter- 
minates the Great Western Railway of 
Canada, which extends from Niagara Falls 
or Suspen.>ion Bridge, via Hamilton and 
Loudon, to opposite Detroit — thus forming 
an important link in the great lino of 
railroads, now finished, running from the 
seaboard at different points to the Missis- 
sippi and Missouri Rivers. 



RAILROAD ROUTi: from Nia;i^ara Falls to Hamilton and 
Detroit, via Oreat Western Railway of Canada. 



This great International Line, extend- 
ing from Niagara River to Detroit River, 
opposite the city of Detroit, a distance of 
229 miles, passes through a fine and in- 
teresting tiection of country, equal in 
many respects to Western New York. 
It connects with the New York Central 
and Buffalo and Niagara Falls Railroad, 
forming a great through route of travel. 

Starting from the Suspension Bridge at 
Clifton, two miles below the Falls of Ni- 
agara, the passenger train soon reaches 
the verge of the mountain ridge over- 
looking the plain below, while in the dis- 
tance may be seen the broad waters of 
Lake Ontario, usually studded with sail 
vessels and propellers on their way to or 
from the mouth of the Welland Canal. 

" Traced like a map, the landscape lies 
In cultured beauty stretching wide." 

Thorold, nine miles, is situated on 
the line of the Welland Canal, where is 
abundant water-power propelling five 
or six flouring mills. A railroad ex- 
tends to Port Dalhousie, some five or six 
miles distant, connecting with a steamer 
running to Toronto. This road will be 
extended to Port Colbourne, on Lake 
Erie, about twenty miles distant. 

St. CA.THERINES, 12 miles from the 
Suspension Bridge, is a flourishing town, 
also situated on the line of the Welland 
Canal, whicli connects Erie and Ontario. 
This has become of late a fashionable 
place of resort during the summer months, 
caused by the mineral waters of the '^Ar- 
tesian Wells^^ obtaining great celebrity, 
owing to their curative properties. Here 
are several well-kept hotels for the accom- 
modation of visitors. St. Catherines is 
justly termed "^e Saratoga of Canada,^^ 
being annually visited by thousands of 
invalids and pleasure-seekers. 

Beams viLLE, 22 miles from the 



Suspension Bridge, is a thriving village 
about one mile from the station. 

Grimsby, 5 miles farther, is situated 
on Forty-mile Creek, the scene of some 
hard fighting during the war of 1812. It 
is a small village of 350 inhabitants ; there 
are two churches, a hotel, and several 
stores ; also, a grist and saw mills pro- 
pelled by water-power. 

Haatiiiton, 43 miles from Suspen- 
sion Bridge, is the principal station on the 
line of the Great Western Railway, where 
are located the principal offices and work- 
shops connected with the company. Here 
is a commodious depot and steamboat land- 
ing. Carriages and omnibuses are always 
in readiness to convey passengers to the 
hotels in the city, and steamboat landings. 

The Toronto Branch of the Great West- 
ern Railway commences at Hamilton, and 
extends a distance of thirty eight mdes to 
the city of Toronto, running near the shore 
of Lake Ontario. 

On leaving Hamilton for Windsor or 
Detroit, the road passes near the mansion 
of the late Sir Allan M'Nab, and over the 
Des Jardines Canal, entering the head of 
Burlington Bay. Here is also a Suspen- 
sion Bridge in sight, thrown ove*" the 
stream as it cuts its way through the high 
bank which encircles the bay or lake. 
This point presents a beautiful view, both 
on leaving or arriving at the head-waters 
uf Lake Ontario. 

DuNDAS, five miles from Hamilton, 
is situated on rising ground on the side 
of the mountain, and is a thriving manu- 
facturing place, having the advantage of 
a stream which flows, or rather rushes, 
with great impetuosity through its centre, 
working on its way numerous mills. The 
Des Jardines Canal runs from hence to 
Burlington Bay, enabling the manufac- 
turers to ship their goods at their own doors. 



BUFFALO AND NIAGARA FALLS TO DETROIT. 



n 



Harrfsburgh. 19 miles from Ham- 
ilton, is the station ot the Gait Branch of 
the Great AVestern Railway. 

Paris, with the Upper and Lower 
Town, contains about 3,500 inhabitants; 
so called from its contiguity to beds of 
gypsum or plaster of Paris. It possesses 
a considerable amount of water-power, 
which works numerous mills. There are 
two foundries, a tannery, machine-shop, 
distillery, saw-mill, etc. The Buffalo and 
Lake Huron Railway intersects the Great 
Western at this point, running to Gode- 
rich. on Lake Huron. 

Woodstock, 48 miles from Ham- 
ilton, and 138 miles from Windsor, is a 
county town, well situated on rolling 
ground, and contains about 4,500 inhab- 
itants. It may be called a town of mag- 
nificent distances ; East and West Wood- 
stock forming a street upward of a mile 
in length. The vacant spaces, however, 
are fast being filled up with stately edi- 
fices, and it will thus in a short time be- 
come one of the handsomest thorough- 
fares in Canada. In this locality, noted 
for its handsome country seats — and 
indeed all the way from Hamilton — the 
land, as seen from the road (the railroad 
for the most part passes through a new 
country), is rolling and well cleared of 
trees and stumps, presenting more the 
appearance of "merrie England" than 
any other section of the Province. 

IxaERSOLL, nine miles farther, for- 
merly an Indian village, now contains 
about 2.000 inhabitants. A small arm 
of the Thames runs through it, and fur- 
nishes some water-power, by which sev- 
eral mills are worked. Since the opening 
of the railway it has risen in a surprising 
manner; and the town, which before 
then had a very dingy appearance, the 
houses being of wood and wanting paint, 
is now gay with white brick, and the 
streets resound with the hum of an en- 
terprising population. 
London, 119 miles from Suspension 



Bridge, and 110 miles from Win 1; or, if 
not, like her English namesake, 

The great resort 
Of all the earth — checkered with ;'.ll 
Coinplexions of mankind — 

is nevertheless a very stirrin'^ business 
place, and presents another inst i;i;e of the 
energy and enterprise of the Canad ans. 
Ten years ago, this then very small vil- 
lage of wooden houses was entirely 
burned down, and now on its a?hes is 
raised a most flourishing city, containing 
four banks, several wholesale houses, fif- 
teen churches, many of them handsome 
structures, and the English Church hav- 
ing a fine peal of bcdls; life and fire in- 
surances offices, breweries and distilleries. 
It has three newspapers and several good 
hotels. Population nearly 18,000. It is 
well watered by the river Thames, which, 
however, is only navigable up to Chatham, 
sixty miles distant. 

The London and Port Stanley R. R. here 
joins the Great Western Railway; length 
24 miles, running south to Lake Erie. 

Chatham, 46 miles from Windsor, 
situated on the river Thames, possesses 
the great advantage of a navigation, and 
is therefore a plac6 of considerable busi- 
ness. It contains eight churches ; and 
being the county town of Kent, it has a 
court-house, a very handsome building, 
several grist and saw mills, woollen factory, 
two foundries, machine-shop, etc. Steam- 
ers ply between Chatham, Detroit, and 
Amherstburg. Population about 5,000. 

Windsor, 229 miles from Suspension 
Bridge, opposite Detroit, prettily situated 
on the banks of the river, is a place of 
considerable business, and is rapidly in- 
creasing in wealth and population, owing 
to the advantage it has of being the 
western terminus of the Great Western 
Railway. 

Three steam-ferries ply between Wind- 
sor and Detroit, making close connections 
for the benefit of railroad passengers. 



X 



BUFFALO TO GODERICH, C. W., via BUFFALO AUD LAKE 

HURON RAILWAY. 



This important line of travel extends 
from Buffalo, N. Y., crossing Niagara 
River by means of a steam ferry at Blac < 
Rock to Fort Erie, on the Canada side. 
It is proposed to construct a permanent 
railroad bridge of about one mile in 
length, a short distance above the present 
ferry. From Fort Erie the line of the 
railway extends westward within a short 
. distance of Lake Erie for forty miles, to 
Dunville, situated at the mouth of Grand 
River, crossing the Welland Canal. 

From Dunville the road runs along the 
valley of the river on the north side to 
Brantford, 38 miles farther, and frum 
thence extends westward to Paris, where 
it connects with the Great Western Rail- 
way of Canada. The line thence runs to 
Stratford, C. W., where it connects with 
the Grand Trunk Railway, a total distance 
from Buffalo of 116 miles. From this 
point the road is now completed and in 
running order to Goderich, situated on 
Lake Huron, a total distance of 163 miles. 

Dunville is advantageously situated 
on the Grand River, at a point where it 
is intersected by the feeder of the Wel- 
land Canal. It is a place of considerable 
business, and contains several grist, saw, 
and plaster mills, and a tannery. Popu- 
lation about 1,500. 

The Wdlaad Canal is one of the many 
works of the same kind of which Cana- 
dians may be proud. This Canal affords 
a passage fur propellers, sloops, and 
schooners of 125 tons burden, around the 
Falls of Niagara, and connects Lake Erie 
with Lake Ontario. It is 42 miles long, 
including feeder, 56 feet wide, and from 
8.V to 16 feet deep. The whole descent 
from one lake to the other is 334 feet, 
which is accomplished by 37 locks. 

Brantford, 78 miles from Buffalo, 
and 82 miles from Goderich, is beautifully 



situated on Grand River, and named after 
Brant, the renowned chief of the Six Na- 
tions Indians, who, with his tribe, steadily 
supported the British Crown during theL 
American War. "In ^Gertrude of Wyo- 
ming^ he is aUuded to in disparaging 
terms : 

' The mammoth comes — the fiend, the monster 
Brant.' 

But some years afterward Campbell was 
obliged to apologize to Brant's son, who 
happened to visit London ; as it appeared, 
on satisfactory evidence, his father was 
not even present at the horrible desolation 
of Wy«.)ming. This much is due to the 
memory of Brant, who was a brave war- 
rior and a steadfast ally of the British, 
and always exerted himself to mitigate 
the horrors of war." 

Brantford, until the opening of the 
Great Western Railway, was a great wheat 
market, the streets being crowded with 
hundreds of wagons daily ; but that road 
created other markets, and to this extent 
the town has suffered. It has, however, 
other sources of prosperity. There is no 
place in the Province which commands 
such extensive water-power, and which 
is made available for the working of nu- 
merous mills. The iron foundries, ma- 
chine sliops, and potteries are on a large 
scale, and have caused the place to be re- 
garded as the Birmingham of Canada. It 
has a goodly number of churches of vari- 
ous denominations, and one of the largest 
and handsomest hotels in the Province — * 
"The Kirby House." Population about 
6,000. 

Stratford is a new and thriving 
town, favorably situated on the line of the 
Grand Trunk Railway of Canada. This 
section of Canada enjoys a good climate 
and fertile soil, producing cereal grains in 
great abundance. 



TABLE OF DISTANCES — SOUTH SHORE ROUTE. 



53 



Oodericli, C. W., 163 miles dis- 
tant from Buflalo, by railroad route, is ad- 
vantageously situated on the east shore 
of Lake Huron, enjoying a healthy and 
delightful climate. Here is a good and 
secure harbor, being easily accessible to 
the largest steamers and sail vessels nav- 
igating the Upper Lakes. Here is erected 
an extensive railroad depot, warehouses, 
grain elevator, and wharves, owned by 
the Buffalo and Lake Huron Railway 
company. The town is beautifully situ- 
ated on elevated ground, rising about 150 
feet above the waters of Lake Huron, 
here celebrated for their purity. The pop- 
ulation amounts to about 5,000, and is 



rapidly increasing in numbers and wealth. 
Steamers run daily from this port to Sar- 
nia, Detroit, Saginaw, and other ports on 
Lake Huron. A line of propellers, car- 
rying passengers aud freight, also run 
from Goderich to Mackinac, Milwaukee, 
Chicago, etc. — connecting with the Buf- 
falo and Lake Huron Railway — thus 
forming a through line of travel from 
Buffalo to the above ports. 

There aro several other ports of im- 
portance lying north of Goderich, on the 
Canada side of the lake, from whence 
steamers run to and fro almost daily, 
during the season of navigation. 



TABL.E OF DISTAIVCES. 

FBOM BUFFALO TO TOLEDO — SOUTH SHORE ROUTE. 



Ports, etc. Miles. 

Buffalo, N. T 

Silver Creek, K Y 34 

Dunkirk, " 42 

Portland, " 52 

Erie, Pa 90 

Conneaut, Ohio 117 

Ashtabula, " 131 

Painesville, " 156 

Cleveland, " 185 

Kelley's Island 240 

Sandusky, Ohio 245 

South Bass Island 245 

West Sister Island. . . 263 

Turtle Island 275 

Maumee Bay 278 

Toledo, Ohio 285 



Ports, etc. Miles. 

Toledo, Ohio Q 

Maumee Bay 7 

Turtle Island 10 

West Sister Island 22 

South Bass Island 40 

Sandusky, Ohio 40 

Kelley's Island 45 

Cleveland, Ohio 100 

Painesville, " 129 

Ashtabula, " 154 

Conneaut, " 168 

Erie, Pa 195 

Portland, N. Y 233 

Dunkirk, " 243 

SUver Creek, N, Y 251 

Buffalo, N. Y 285 



Note. — The direct through route as run by the steamers from Buffalo to Toledo is 
ftbout 250 miles; the circuit of Lake Erie being about 560 miles. 



BUFFALO TO CLEVELAND, TOLEDO, ETC- 

ROUTE. 



-SOUTH SHORE 



Steamers and ropellers of a large 
class leave Buffalo daily, during the 
season of navigation, for the different 
ports on the American or South Shore of 
Lake Erie, connecting vi^ith railroad cars 
at Cleveland, Sandusky, Toledo, and De- 
troit. 

On leaving Buffalo harbor, which is 
formed by the mouth of Buffalo Creek, 
where is erected a breakwater by the 
United States government, a fine view is 
afforded of the city of Buffalo, the Canada 
shore, and Lake Erie stretching off in the 
distance, with here and there a steamer 
or sail vessel in sight. As the steamer 
proceeds westward through the middle of 
the lake, the landscape fades in the dis- 
tance, until nothing is visible but a broad 
expanse of green waters. 

Sturgeon Point, 20 miles from 
Buffalo, is passed on the south shore, 
when the lake immediately widens by 
the land receding on both shores. During 
the prevalence of storms, when the full 
blast of the wind sweeps through this 
'lake, its force is now felt in its full power, 
driving the angry waves forward with the 
velocity of the race-horse, often causing 
the waters to rise at the lower end of the 
lake to a great height, so as to overflow its 
banks, and forcing its surplus waters into 
the Niagara River, which causes the only 
perceptible rise and increase of the rush 
of waters at the Falls. 

Dunkirk, N. Y., 42 miles from 
Buffalo, is advantageously situated on the 
shore of Lake Erie where terminates the 
New York and Erie Railroad, 460 miles 
in length. Here is a good and secure 
harbor, affording about twelve feet of 
water over tlie bar. A light-liouse, a 
beacon-light, and breakwater, the latter in 

'llapidated state, have here been erected 

/ the United States government. As an 



anchorage and port of refuge this harbor 
is extremely valuable, and is much resort- 
ed to for that purpose by steamers and 
sail vessels during the prevalence of 
storms. 

The village was incorporated in 1837, 
and now contains about 4,000 inhabitants, 
500 dwelling-houses, five churches, a 
bank, three hotels, and 20 stores of differ- 
ent kinds, besides several extensive store- 
houses and manufacturing establishments. 

The Buffalo and State Line Railroad, ex- 
tending to Erie, Pa., runs tlirough Dun- 
kirk, forming in part the Lake Shore line 
of railroad, which, in connection with the 
railroad leading direct to the city of New 
York, affords great advantages to this 
locality, which is no doubt destined to in- 
crease with the growing trade of the lake 
country. 

Fredonia, three miles from Dun- 
kirk, with which it is connected by a 
plank-road, is handsomely situated, being 
elevated about 100 feet above Lake Erie. 
It contains about 2,300 inhabitants, 300 
dwelling-houses, five churches, one bank, 
an incorporated academy, four taverns, 
twenty stores, besides some mills and 
manufacturing establishments situated on 
Canadoway Creek, which here affords 
good water-power. In the village, near 
the bed of the creek, is an inflammable 
spring, from which escapes a sufficient 
quantity of gas to light the village. A 
gasometer is constructed which forces the 
gas through tubes to different parts of the 
village, the consumer paying $4 per j-ear 
for each burner used. It is also ufced for 
lighting the streets of the village. The 
flame is large, but not so strong or bril- 
liant as that obtained from gas in our 
cities ; it is, however, in high favor with 
the inhabitants. 

Barcelona, N. Y., 58 miles from 



BUFFALO TO CLEVELAND, TOLEDO, ETC SOUTH SHORE ROUTE. 



55 



Buffalo, is the westernmost village in the 
State. It is a port of entry, and is much 
resorted to by steamers and large vessels 
navigating the lake, affording a tolerably 
good harbor, where is situated a light- 
house which is lighted by inflammable 
gas ; it escapes from the bed of a creek 
about half a raile distant, and is carried in 
pipes to the light-house. 

Erie, " the Lake City of Pennsylva- 
nia," distant 90 miles from Buffalo and 95 
miles from Cleveland, is beautifully situated 
on a bluff, affording a prospect of Presque 
Isle Bay and the Lake beyond. It has one 
of the largest and best harbors on Lake 
Erie, from whence sailed Perry's fleet 
during the war of 1812. The most of the 
vessels were here built, being finished in 
seventy days from the time the trees were 
felled ; and here the gallant victor re- 
turned with his prizes after the battle of 
Lake Erie, which took place September 
10th, 1813. The remains of his flag-ship, 
the Lawrence^ lie in the harbor, from 
which visitors are allowed to cut pieces as 
relics. On the higli bank, a little distance 
from the town, are the ruins of the old 
French fort, Presque Isle, The city con- 
tains a court-house, nine churches, a bank, 
three hotels, a ship-yard, several exten- 
sive manufacturing establishments, and 
about 10,000 inhabitants. In addition to 
the Lake Shore Railroad^ the Philadelphia 
and Erie Railroad^ terminates at this place, 
affording a direct communication with 
New York, Philadelphia, and Baltimore. 

Presque Isle Bay is a lovely sheet of 
water, protected by an island projecting 
into Lake Erie. There is a light-house on 
the west side of the entrance to the bay> 
in lat, 42 » 8' N. ; it shows a ftxed light, 
elevated 93 feet above the surface of the 



lake, and visible for a. distance of 15 
miles. The beacon sliows a fixed light, 
elevated 28 feet, and is visible for nine 
miles. 

CoNNEAUT, Ohio, lit miles from Buf- 
falo anil 68 from Cleveland, situated in 
the northeast corner of the State, stands 
on a creek of the same name, near its en- 
trance into Lake Erie. It exports large 
quantities of lumber, grain, pork, beef, 
butter, cheese, etc., being surrounded by 
a rich agricultural section of country. 
The village contains about 2,000 inhabi- 
tants. The harbor of Conneaut lies two 
miles from the village,- where is a light- 
house, a pier, and several warehouses. 

Ashtabula, Ohio, 14 miles farther 
west, stands on a stream of the same 
name, near its entrance into the lake. This 
is a thriving place, inhabited by an intel- 
ligent population estimated at 3,500. The 
harbor of Ashtabula is two and a half 
miles from the village, at the mouth of 
the river, where is a light-house. 

Fairport stands on the east side of 
Grand River, 155 miles from Buffalo. It 
has a good harbor for lake vessels, and is 
a port of considerable trade. This harbor 
is so well defended from winds, and easy 
of access, that vessels run in when they 
cannot easily make other ports. Here is 
a light-house and a beacon to guide the 
mariner. 

Painesville, Ohio, three miles fro?a 
Fairport and 30 miles from Cleveland, is a 
beautiful and flourislung town, being sur- 
rounded by a fine section of country. 
It is the county seat for Lake County, 
and contains a court-house, five churches, 
a bank, 20 stores, a number of beautiful 
residences, and about 3,000 inhabitants. 



* This great line traverses the Northern Mnd Northwest counties of Pennsylvania to the city 
of Erie on Lake Erie, It has be^jn leased by Ihe Pennsylvania Railroad Company, and under their 
auspices is beipg rapidly apeacfi throughout its entire length. ^ 



56 



TRIP THKOUGH THE LAKES. 




m:, 



Perry Monument, Erected Sept. 10, 1860. 

ClCTeland, "theForestCity," Cuy- 
ahoga County, Ohio, is situated on a plain, 
elevated 80 feet above the waters < f Lake 
Erie, at the mouth of the Cuyahog river, 
which forma a secure harbor for essels 
of a large class; being in N. lat. 41° 30', 
W. long, 81^ 42' The bluff on which it 



is built rises abruptly from the lake level, 
where stands a light-house, near the en- 
trance into the harbor, from which an 
extensive and magnificent view is obtained, 
overlooking the city, the meandering of the 
Cuyahoga, the line of railroads, the ship- 
ping in the harbor, and the vessels pass- 
ing on the Lake. 

The city is regularly and beautifuHy 
laid out, ornamented with numerous shade- 
trees, from which it takes the name of 
"Forest City." Near its centre is a large 
public square, in which stands a beautiful 
marble statue of Commodore Oliver H. 
Perry, which was inaugurated Sept. 10, 
1860, in the presence of more than 100,000 
people. It commemorates the glorious 
achievement of the capture of the British 
fleet on Lake Erie, September 10th, 1813. 
Cleveland is the mart of one of the great- 
est grain-growing States in the Union, and 
has a ready communication by railroad 
with New York, Boston, and Philadelphia 
on the east, while continuous lines of 
railroads run south, and west to the con- 
fines of settlement in Kansas and Nebras- 
ka. It is distant 185 miles from Buffalo, 
135 miles from Columbus, 107 miles from 
Toledo, and 144 miles from Pittsburgh by 
railroad route ; 120 miles from Detroit by 
steamboat route. 

It contains a County Court-House and 
Jail, City Hall, U. S. Custom-House and 
Post Office building; 1 Theatre; a Library 
Association with a public reading-room; 
2 Medical Colleges, 2 Orphan Asylums, 
35 Churches of different denominations; 
4 Banks, a Savings Bank, and 2 Insurance 
Companies; also, numerous large manu- 
facturing companies, embracing iron and 
copper works, ship-building, &c. ; Gas- 
work?, "Water-Avorks. and two City Rail- 
road Companies. The stores and ware- 
houpcs are numerous, and many of them 
well built. It now boasts of 50,000 in- 
habitants, and is rapidly increasing in 
i.r.mbers and wealth. The Lake Superior 
;rr'!o. is a source of great advantage and 



1 



CLE"'"ELAND, " THE FOREST CITY. 



57 



profit, while the other lake traffic, togeth- 
er with tlie facilities afforded by railroads 
and canals, makes Cleveland one of the 
favored cities bordering on the Inland 
Seas of America. 

The principal Hotels are the American 
Hotel, Angler House, Forest City House, 
Johnson House, and Weddell House ; all be- 
ing large and well-kept public houses. 



Railroads diverging from Cleveland. 

1. Cleveland and Erie, 95 miles in length. 

2. Cleveland, Columbus, and Cincinnati, 
135 miles. 

3. Cleveland and Toledo, Northern Divi- 
sion, 107 miles. 

4. Cleveland and Mahoning, 6t miles 
finished. 

5. Cleveland and Pittsburgh, connecting 
with Wheehng, Va., 200 miles. 

6. Cleveland, Zanesville, and Cincinnati, 
87 miles; diverging from Cleveland and 
Pittsburgh R. R. at Hudson. 

7. Atlantic and Great Western Railway, 
connects with New York and Erie Rail- 
road, forming a through line of traveL 



Steamers and Propellers of a large 
class leave daily, during the season of 
navigation, for Bufltalo, Toledo, Detroit, 
Mackinac, G-reen Bay, Milwaukee, Chicago, 



the Saut Ste. Marie, and the different ports 
on Lake Superior, altogether transporting 
an immense amount of merchandise, grain, 
lumber, iron, and copper ore. The regis- 
tered Tonnage of this port, in 1861, was 
82,518 tons. 

The Northern Transportation Company 
of Ohio has its principal office in Cleve- 
land. The Company owns 15 propellers 
of about 350 tons burden, running from 
Ogdensburgh and Oswego to Cleveland, 
Toledo, Detroit, Milwaukee, and Chicago. 
This line affords a cheap and speedy route 
for travellers and emigrants, as weU as for 
the transportation of merchandise and 
produce. 

The Cleveland Iron Mining Company, 
with a capital stock of $500,000, has its 
principal office in this city. The mine ia 
situated near Marquette, Lake Superior, 
being distant about 14 miles from the 
steamboat landing. A railroad extends to 
the Iron Mountain, affording facilities for 
the transportation of 2,000 tons of iron 
ore per day. This ore yields on an aver- 
age 663 per cent, of iron. The greater 
proportion of this ore finds a ready market 
in Cleveland, from whence the most of it 
is transported to the Mahoning Valley, 
where it meets the coal of that region 
and is smelted and manufactured into 
merchantable iron. 



Steamboat Route from Cleveland to Detroit. 



Porta, etc. 



Milea. 



Clkvelaxd, Ohio 

Point Pelee Is., and Light 60 

Bur Point, C. W 97 

Bui 3 Blanc Is. Light, | -,^0 

] '.-ti-oit Itiver. J ^^ " 

M.tlJen, C. "W 101 

Giliialtar. Mich 

(h'.s.so Lsk', " 102 

Mima .Tnha Is. and Light 108 

Wijnndotte, Mich 100 

FiKh Island Light Ill 

Fi-hting Island 112 

Windsor, C. W 119 

l-iraoiT 120 



Ports, etc. Miles. 

Detroit, Mich 

Win(l<iO)\ C. W 1 

Fiirhtinc Island 8 

Fish Island 9 

Wyandotte, Mich 11 

Mama Juba Is. and Light 12 

Grosse Isle 13 

Gibraltar, Mich 

Maiden, 0. W 19 

Bois Blanc Is. Light, > oa 

LakeErle, f ^^ 

Bar Point, C. W 23 

Point Peloe Island 60 

CMCVEI.ANn 120 

Fark, ,t8 00. ITsiTAL Time, 7 hours. 



58 



TRIP THROUGH THE LAKES. 



Black River, 28 miles from Cleve- 
land, is a small village with a good har- 
bor, where is a ship-yard and other 
manufacturing establishments. 

Vermilion, 10 miles farther on the 
line of the Cleveland and Toledo Railroad, 
is a place of considerable trade, situated at 
the mouth of the river of the same name. 

Huron, Ohio, 50 miles from Cleve- 
land and 10 miles from Sandusky, is 
situated at the mouth of Huron River, 
which affords a good harbor. It contains 
several churches, 15 or 20 stores, several 
warehouses, and about 2,000 inhabitants. 

The islands lying near the head of Lake 
Erie, off Sandusky, are Kelley's Island, 
North Bass, Middle Bass, and South 
Bass islands, besides several smaller 
islands, forming altogether a handsome 
group. KeUey^s Island, the largest and 
most important, is famous for its grape 
culture, and has become a place of sum- 
mer resort by the citizens of Ohio and 
other States. On the north side of 
South Bass Island, lies the secure harbor 
of Put-in-Bay, made celebrated by being 
the rendezvous of Com. Perry's flotilla 
before and after the decisive battle of 
Lake Erie, which resulted in the capture 
of the entire British fleet. 

naval battle on lake ERIE. 

September 10th, 1813, the hostile fleets 
of England and the United States on Lake 
Erie met near the liead of the Lake, and 
a sanguinary battle ensued. The fleet 
bearing the "red cross" of England con- 
sisted of six vessels, carrying G4 guns, 
under command of the veteran Com. 
Barclay ; and the fleet bearing the 
" broad stripes and bright stars'' of the 
United States, consisted of nine vessels 
carrying 54 guns, under command of the 
young and inexperienced, but brave. Com. 
Oliver H. Perry. The result of this im- 
portant conflict was made known to the 
world in the following laconic dispatch, 
written at 4 p. m. of that day : 



^^ Dear General,: "We have met thf 
enemy, and they are ours : Two ships 
two brigs, one schooner, and one sloop. 
With esteem, etc., 0. H. Perry 

" Gen. William H. Harrison." 

Sandusky, "The Bay City" capita 
of Erie Co., Ohio, is a port of entry and 
a place of considerable trade. It is ad 
vantageously situated on Sandusky Bay, 
three miles from Lake Erie, in N. lat. 41* 
27', W. long. 82^ 45'. The bay is abou* 
20 miles long, and five or six miles in 
width, forming a capacious and excellent 
harbor, into which steamers and vessel? 
of all sizes can enter with safety. The 
average depth of water is from ten to 
twelve feet. The city is built on a bed of 
Umestone, producing a good building 
material. It contains about 10,000 in- 
habitants, a court-house and jail, eight 
churches, two banks, several well-kept 
hotels, and a number of large stores and 
manufacturing establishments of differ- 
ent kinds. This is the terminus of the 
Sandusky, Dayton, and Cincinnati Railroad, 
153 miles to Dayton, and the Sandui^ky, 
Mansfield, and 2\eivark Railroad, 116 miles 
in length. The Cievdand and Toledo Rail- 
road, northern division, also terminates 
at Sandusky. 

foledo, one of the most favored 
Cities of the Lakes, is situated on the 
Maumee river, four miles from its mouth, 
and ten miles from the Turtle Island Light, 
at the outlet of the Maumee Bay mto 
Lake Erie. The harbor is good, and the 
navigable channel from Toledo of sufficient 
depth for all steamers or sail vessels navi- 
gating the lakes. Toledo is the eastern 
terminus of the Wabash and Erie Canal, 
running through the Maumee and Wabash . 
valleys, and communicating with the 
Ohio River at Evansville, a distance of 
474 miles ; also of the Miami and 
Erie Canal, which branches from the 
above canal 68 miles west of Toledo, and 
runs southwardly through the Miami 



BUFFALO TO CLEVELAND, TOLEDO, ETC. SOUTH SHORE ROUTE. 



59 



Valley in TVestern Ohio, and communi- 
cates with the Oliio River at Cincinnati, 
forming together the longest line of canal 
aavigation in the United States. 

The railroads diverging from Toledo are 
the Michigan Southern and Northern In- 
diana Railroad, running through the 
southern counties of Michigan and the 
northern counties of Indiana, and making 
its western terminus at Chicago, Illinois, 
at a distance of 2-43 miles; the Air Line 
Railroad, running due west from Toledo, 
through Northwestern Ohio and the 
northern counties of Indiana to Goshen, 
a distance of 110 miles, where it connects 
with the Northern Indiana Railroad, run- 
ning to Chicago ; and the Detroit, Monroe, 
and Toledo Railroad. It is also the east- 
ern terminus of the Toledo, Wabash, and 
Western Railroad, running in a south- 
westerly direction through the Maumee 
and Wabash valleys, crossing the east- 
ern line of the State of Illinois, about 125 
miles south of Chicago, and continuing 
in a southwesterly course through Dan- 
ville, Springfield, Jacksonville, Naples, 
etc., m Central Illinois, to the Mississippi 
River, and connecting with the Hannibal 
and St. Joseph Road, which stretches 
nearly due west through the State of 
Missouri to St. Joseph, on the Missouri 
River. The Dayton and Michigan Rail- 
road, which connects Toledo with Cincin- 
nati, is much the shortest railroad line 
connecting Lake Erie with the Ohio River. 
Besides the above important roads, the 
Cleveland and Toledo Railroad terminates 
here. 

Toledo is the nearest point for the im- 
mense country traversed by these canals 
and railroads, where a transfer can be 
made of freight to the more cheap trans- 
portation by the lakes, and thence througli 
the Erie Canal, Welland Canal, or Oswego 
Canal, to the seaboard. It is not merely 
the country traversed by these canals and 
railroads that send their products, and re- 
ceive their merchandise, through Toledo, 



but many portions of the States of Ken- 
tucky, Tennessee, and Missouri, find To- 
ledo the cheapest and most expeditious 
lake-port for the interchange and transfer 
of their products and merchandise. 

Tliis city is the capital of Lucas County, 
Ohio, where is situated a court-house and 
jail, several fine churches, a magnificent 
High School edifice, and five large brick 
ward school houses ; a young men's 
association that sustains a course of lec- 
tures during the winter ; two banks, two 
insurance companies, six hotels, and a 
great number of stores and storehouses ; 
also several extensive manufacturing es- 
tablishments. The principal hotels are 
the Island House and Oliver House. 

The population of Toledo in 1850 was 
about 4,000, and now it is supposed to 
contain 17,000 inhabitants, and is rapidly 
increasing in wealth and numbers. The 
shipping interest is increasing, here being 
trans-shipped annually an amount of grain 
exceeded only by Chicago, and otlier 
kinds of agricultural products of the great 
West. This city is destined, like Chicago, 
to export direct to European ports. 

At this time there are in process of 
erection in Toledo many handsome dwel- 
lings, numerous handsome blocks of 
stores, a post-office and custom-house by 
the general government, and a first-class 
hotel; these two latter buildings, from 
the plans we have seen, would do credit 
to any city, and when completed can be 
classed among the most elegant struc- 
tures. No city in the State can boast of 
finer private residences than Toledo ; and 
the general character of the buildings 
erected in the past four years is substan- 
tial and elegant. 

Perrysburgh, the capital of Wood Co., 
Ohio, is situated on the right bank 
of the Maumee River, 18 miles above its 
entrance into Maumee Bay, the southern 
termination of Lake Erie. It contains a 
court-house and jail, four churches, 20 
stores of difTerent kinds, three steam saw- 



m 



TRIP THROUGH THE LAKES. 



mills, a tannery, and several other manu- 
facturing establishments. Population 
about 1,500. Here is the head of steam- 
boat navigation on the Maumee River, 
affording thus far a sufficient depth of 
water for steamers of a large class. 

Old Fort Meigs, famous for having 
witlistood a siege by the British and In- 
dians in 1813, is one mile above this place. 

Maumee City, Lucas Co., Ohio, is 
a port of entry, situated on the Maumee 
River, opposite Perrysburgh, at the foot 
of the rapids and at the head of naviga- 
tion, nine miles above Toledo. A side 
cut here connects the Wabash and Erie 
Canal with the river. The Toledo and 
Illinois RaQroad also passes through this 
place. It contains five churches, ten 
stores, four flouring-mills, three saw-mills, 
one oil-mill, and other manufacturing es- 
tablishments propelled by water-power, 
the supply being here almost inexhausti- 
ble. Three miles above the city is the 
site of the famous battle fought against 
the Indians by Gen. Wayne, in 1794, 
known as the Battle of Miami Rapids. 
One mile below the town is Old Fort 
Miami, one of the early British posts. 

Maumee River rises in the north- 
east part of Indiana, and flowing northeast 
enters Lake Erie, through Maumee Bay. 
It is about 100 miles long, navigable 18 
miles, and furnishing an extensive water- 
power throughout its course. 

The City of Monroe, capital of Monroe 
Co., Mich., is situated on both sides of 
the River Raisin, three miles above its 



entrance into Lake Erie, and about 40 
miles from Detroit. It is connected with 
the lake by a ship canal, and is a termi- 
nus of the Michigan Southern Railroad, 
which extends west, in connection with 
the Northern Indiana Railroad, to Chica- 
go, 111. The town contains about 4,000 
inhabitants, a court-house and jail, a 
United States land-office, eight churches, 
several public houses, and a number of 
large stores of different kinds. Here are 
two extensive piers, forming an outport 
at the mouth of the river; the railroad 
track running to the landing. A plank- 
road also runs from the outport to the 
city, which is an old and interesting lo- 
cality, being formerly called French town, 
which was known as the scene of the 
battle and massacre of River Raisin in 
the war of 1812. The Detroit, Monroe, and 
Toledo Railroad, just completed, passes 
through this city. Steamers run from 
Detroit to Toledo, stopping at Monroe. 

Trenton, situated on the west bank of 
Detroit river, is a steamboat landing and 
a place of considerable trade. Population, 
1,000. 

Wyandotte, ten miles below Detroit, is 
a new and flourishing manufacturing 
village, where are located tho most ex- 
tensive Iron Works in Michigan. The 
iron used at this establishment comes 
mostly from Lake Superior, and is con- 
sidered equal in quality to any in the 
world. The village contains about 1,600 
inhabitants. 



Railroad Route a 

This important body of water being en- 
compassed by a band of iron, we subjoin 
the following Table of Distances : 

Mile8. 
Buffalo to Paris, C. W., via Buffalo and 

Lake Huron Railroad, 84 

Paris to Windsor or Detroit, via 

Great Western Railway, 158 



round I^ake Erie. 

Miles. 
Detroit to Toledo, Ohio, via Detroit 

and Toledo R. R., 63 

Toledo to Cleveland, via Cleveland and 

Toledo R. R., ' 10*7 

Cleveland to Erie, Pa., via Cleveland 

and Erie R. R., 95 

Erie to Buffalo, via Lake Shore Road, 88 

Total miles, 595 



OHIO RIVER AND LAKE ERIE CANALS. FORT WAYNE. 



61 



The extreme length of Lake Erie is I lake about 560 milea, being about 100 
250 miles, from the mouth of Niagara 1 miles less distance than has been stated 
River to Maumee Bay; the circuit of the [by some writers on the great lakes. 



Oliio River and Lake £rie Canals. 



The completion of the Miami Canal 
makes four distinct channels of commu- 
nication from the Ohio River through the 
State of Ohio to Lake Erie, namely: 

1. The Erie Extension Canal, from 
Beaver, twenty or thirty miles below 
Pittsburgh, to Erie, 136 miles. 2. The 
Cross- Cut Beaver Canal, which is an ex- 
tension or branch from Newcastle, Pa., 
on the Beaver Canal, to Akron, Ohio, 
where it unites with the Portsmouth and 
Cleveland Canal — making a canal route 
from Beaver to Cleveland of 143 miles. 
3. The Ohio Canal, from Cleveland to 
Portsmouth, through the centre of the 
State, 309 miles. 4. The Miami Extension, 
which is a union of the Miami Canal with 
the Wabash and Erie Canal, through 
Dayton, terminating at Toledo, at the 
mouth of the Maumee River on Lake Erie, 
247 miles. The vast and increasing busi- 
ness of the Ohio Valley may furnish busi- 
ness for all these canals. They embrace 
rich portions of Pennsylvania, Ohio, and 
Indiana ; but are not so located as to be 
free from competition with one another. 
At no distant time, they would unques- 
tionably command a sufficient independ- 
ent business, were it not probable tliat 
they may be superseded by railways. 
The capacity of railways — both for rapid 
and cheap transportation — as it is devel- 
oped by circumstances and the progress 
of science, is destined to affect very mate- 
rially the value and importance of cauals. 



Fort Wayne, 

The United States government is now 
engaged in making extensive improve- 
ments at Fori Wayne, which, when com- 



pleted, will render it one of the strongest 
Ibrtitications in the country, and almost 
impregnable against a land assault. The 
site of the fort, as is well known, is in 
Springwells, about three miles below the 
city of Detroit. Its location is admirable, 
being on a slight eminence, completely 
commanding the river, which at tliat 
point is narrower than in any other place 
of its entire length. Guns properly 
placed there could effectually blockade 
the river against ordinary vessels, and, 
with the aid of a few gunboats, could re- 
pulse any fleet which might present it- 
self. 

The present works were erected about 
the years 1842-43, mainly under the su- 
pervision of General Meigs. The form 
of the works is that of a star, mounting 
thirty-two barbette guns at the angles 
which rake the moat, and protect it 
against an assault by land. The height 
from the bottom of the ditch is about 
forty feet. The exterior of the embank- 
ments was supported by timbers, which, 
in the twenty years in which they have 
stood, have become unsound, and now 
give unmistakable evidence of decay. 
This fact has rendered necessary the im- 
provements which are now being made. 
Tliey consist of a wall around the entire 
fort, built against these timbers, which 
will not be removed, and which will not 
only sustain the embankments, but will 
render the place much more impregnable. 
Tlie wall is seven feet and a half in 
thickness, and twenty feet in height on 
every side. The outside facing, two fee^ 
in thickness, is of brick, the remainder is 
filled in with pounded stone, water-lime, 



62 



TRIP THROUGH THE LAKES. 



Band, and mortar, making a solid wall of 
great strength. From the nature of the 
surrounding grounds, artillery cannot be 
brought to bear upon the wall, with the 
exception of about two feet at the top, 
which extends above the level of the ditch. 
The wall, therefore, could not be battered 
down, and the only possible way by 
which the place could be taken would be 
by a land assault and scaling the walls 
from the moat by means of ladders. This 
is effectually provided against by the 
placing of the guns, eight of which rake 
the moat on each side. The improve- 
ments now being made still further con- 
template placing these guns in casemates. 



which will render them still more secure, 
protecting the guns and gunners. Bar- 
bette guns will also be mounted on the 
bastions in addition to the casemate guns, 
which will be placed in a manner similar 
to that in which they are now placed. 
These improvements will greatly strength- 
en tlie works and render them more per- 
manent. The place is an important one, 
as the expense the government is at in 
rendering it impregnable clearly shows. 
In case of a war with Great Britain it 
would become of the highest importance. 
And acting on the maxim, "in time of 
peace prepare for war," it is the best time 
to attend to these improvements. 



TABLE OF DISTANCES 

From 't:. eland and Detroit to Superior City, forming a Grand Steam- 
boat Excursion of over Two Thousand Miles. 



Ports, &c. 

Cleveland, Ohio. . . . 

Maiden, C. W 

Detroit, Mich 

Lake St. CLiir 

Algonac, Mich 

Newport^ " 

St. Clait\ " 

PoKT Huron " I 
Port Sarnia, C. W. j " 
Point au Barque — \ 
Off Sairinaw Bay j " 
Thunder Bay Ishvnd. 
Point de Tour { 
St. Mary's River ) '" " 
Churx-Ks Landing . . 
8aut Ste. Marie. . . 
Point Iroquois ... . 

White Fish Point 

Point au Sable 

Pictured Uocks 

Crand Island 

Jfit/yiiette. Mich 

P'>rtaire Entry 

/fuu/,'doi. Mich 

M:'.uil')u Island 

i'njiper Ilarhor 

E(i(ile Ilarhor 

Eagle River . . 

Ontonagon^ Mich . . 

Lii I'liintc. Wis 

Bayfield, Wis 

Point d»" Tour 

BuPEEiOK, City, Wis. 



Place to Place. 

.... 

.... 100 

.... 20 

.... 7 

.... 33 

.... 6 

.... 10 

.... 17 

67 

.... 75 

.... 85 

.. . 36 
.... 14 
.... 15 

25 

50 

20 

10 

40 

70 

Portage 

55 

15 

16 

10 

60 

74 
4 

10 

70 



(on 



Miles. 

100 
120 
127 
160 
166 
176 

193 

260 

335 

420 

456 
470 
4S5 
510 
560 
5S0 
590 
630 
700 
Lake). 
755 
7 TO 
786 
796 
a56 
930 
934 
944 
1,014 



Ports, Ac. Place 

Superior City, "Wis 

Point de Tour 

Bayfield, Wis 

La Pointe " 

Ontonagon, Mich 

Eagle River " 

Eagle Harbor " 

Copper Harbor " 

Manitou Island 

Portage Entr,y 

Houghton, Mich (on 

Marquette " 

Grand Island 

Pictured Eocks 

Point au Sable 

White Fish Point.. 

Point Iroquois 

Saut Ste. Marie 

Church's Landing 

Point de Tour, ( 

Lake Huron, f 

Thunder Bay Island 

Otf Saginaw Bay ( 

Point an Barque ) 

Port Huron, Mich. | 

Port Sarnia, ('. W. j 

St. CI 'i?\ Mich 

Newport " 

Algonac, Mich 

St. Clair Flats 

Detroit, Mich 

Maiden, C. W 

Cleveland, Ohio 



to Plbce. 


70 

10 
4 
74 
60 
10 
16 
15 
55 

Portage 
70 
40 
10 
20 
50 
25 
15 
14 

86 

85 

75 

67 

17 

10 

6 

10 
30 
20 
100 



Miles. 



70 

80 

84 

158 

218 

228 

244 

259 

314 

Lake). 

384 

424 

434 

454 

604 

529 

544 

558 

594 

679 

754 

821 

ass 

848 
854 
864 
894 
914 
1,014 



DETROIT. 



ea 




Detroit, "The City op the Straits, " 
a port of entry, and the great commercial 
mart of the State, is favorably situated in 
N. lat. 42° 20; W. long. 82* 58', on a 
river or strait of the same name, elevated 
some 30 or 40 feet above its surface, be- 
ing seven miles below the outlet of Lake 
St. Clair and twenty above the mouth of 
the river, where it enters into Lake Erie. 
It extends for the distance of upward of 
a mile upon the southwest bank of the 
river, where the stream is three-fourths 
of a mile in width. The principal public 
and private oflBces and wholesale stores 
are located on Jefferson and "Woodward 
avenues, which cross each other at right 
angles, the latter running to the water's 
edge. There may usually be seen a great 
number of steamboats, propellers, and 
sail vessels of a large class, loading or 
unloading their rich cargoes, destined for 
Eastern markets or for the Great West^ 
giving an animated appearance to this 
place, v/hich is aptly called the City of 
the Straits. It was incorporated in 1815, 
being now divided into ten wards, and 
governed by a mayor, recorder, and board 
of aldermen. Detroit contains the old 
State-house, from the dome of which a 
fine view is obtained of the city and vi- 
cinity; the City Hall, Masonic Hall, Fire- 
men's Hall, Mechanic's Hall, Odd Fellows' 
.Hall, tiie Young Men's Society Building, 
two Market Buildings, forty Churches, ten 
Hotels, besides a number of taverns; a 
United States Custom-house and Post- 
office, and United States Lake Survey 
office, a theatre, a museum, two orphan 
asylums, four banks, and a savings' fund 



insti ute, water-works, and 
ras-works, four grain elev- 
ators, five steam grist-mills, 
and several steam saw- 
mills, besides a great num- 
ber of other manufactur- 
ing establit^hments. There 
are also several extensive 
I ship-yards and macliine-shops, where are 
built and repaired vessels of almost 
every description. The population iu 
1850 was 21,891; in 1860, 45,619. 

The principal Hotels are the Biddle 
House, and Michigan Exchange, on Jefferson 
avenue, and the Russell Bouse, on AYood- 
ward avenue, facing Campus Martivs, an 
open square near the centre of the City. 

Detroit may be regarded as one of the 
most favored of all the ^Yestern cities of 
tlie Union. It was first settled by the 
French explorers as early as 1701, as a 
military and fur trading port. It changed 
its garrison and military government in 
1760 for a British military commander 
and troops, enduring under the latter re- 
gime a series of Indian sieges, assaults, 
and petty but vigilant and harassing war- 
fare, conducted against the English gar- 
rison by the celebrated Indian warrior 
Pontiac. Detroit subsequently passed 
into possession of the American revolu- 
tionists ; but on the 16th August, 1812, it 
was surrendered by Gen. Hull, of the 
United States army, to Gen. Brock, com- 
mander of the British forces. In 1813 it 
was again surrendered to the Americans, 
under Gen. Harrison. 

The following Railroad lines diverge 
from Detroit: 

1. The Detroit, Monroe, and Toledo EaiU 
road, 62 miles in length, connecting with 
the Michigan Southern Railroad at Mon- 
roe, and with otlier roads at Toledo. 

2. The Michigan Central Railroad, 282 
miles in length, extends to Chicago, 111. 
This important road, running across the 
State from east to west, connects at 



64 



TRIP THROUGH THE LAKES. 



Michigan City, Ind., with the New Al- 
bany and Salem Railroad — thus forming 
A direct line of travel to Louisville, St. 
Louis, etc., as weU as Chicago and the Far 
West. 

3. The Detroit and Milwaukee Railroad 
runs tlirough a rich section of country to 
Grand Haven, on Lake Michigan, op- 
posite Milwaukee, Wis. 

4. The Detroit and Port Huron Railroad^ 
connecting with the Grand Trunk Rail- 
way of Canada, connects Lake Huron by 
rail with the valley of the Ohio River. 

5. The Great Western Railway o^GsiMa,^^. 
has its terminus at Windsor, opposite 
Detroit, the two places, being connected 
by three steam ferries — thus affording a 
speedy line of travel through Canada, and 
thence to Eastern cities of the United 
States. 

Steamers of a large class run from De- 
troit to Cleveland, Toledo, and other ports 
on Lake Erie ; others run to Port Huron, 
Saginaw, Goodrich, C. AY., and other ports 
on Lake Huron. 

The Lake Superior line of steamers run- 
ning from Cleveland and Detroit direct 
for the Saut Ste. Marie, and aU the prin- 
cipal ports on Lake Superior, are of a large 
class, carrying passengers and freight. 
This has become one of the most fashion- 
able and healthy excursions on the con- 
tinent. 

The Detroit River, or Strait, is a noble 
stream, through which flow the surplus 
waters of tlie Upper Lakes into Lake Erie. 
It is 27 miles in length, and from lialf a 
mile to two miles in width, forming the 
boundary between the United States and 
Canada. It has a perceptible current, and 
is navigable for vessels of the largest class. 
Large quantities of fish are annually taken 
in the river, and the sportsman usually 
finds an abundance of wild ducks, which 
breed in great numbers in the marshes 
bordering some of the islands and harbors 
of the coast. 

There are altogether seventeen islands 



in the river. The names of these are, 
Clay, Celeron, Hickory, Sugar, Bois Blanc, 
Ella, Fox, Rock, Grosse Isle, Stoney, Fight' 
ing, Turkey, Mammy Judy, Grassy, Mud, 
Belle or Hog, and He la Feche. The two 
latter are situated a few miles above De- 
troit, near the entrance to Lake St. Clair, 
where large quantiti6s of white-fish are 
annually taken. 

Ile la Peche, attached to Canada, was 
the home of the celebrated Indian chief 
Pontiac. Parkman, in his "History of the 
Conspiracy of Pontiac," says: "Pontiac, 
the Satan of this forest-paradise, was ac- 
customed to spend the early part of the 
summer upon a small island at the open- 
ing of Lake St. Clair." Anotlier author 
says: "The king and lord of all this 
country lived in no royal state. His cabin 
was a small, oven-shaped structure of 
bark and rushes. Here he dwelt with his 
squaws and children ; and here, doubtless, 
he might often have been seen carelessly 
reclining his naked form on a rush-mat or 
a bear-skin, like an ordinary Indian war- 
rior." 

The other fifteen islands, most of them 
small, are situated below Detroit, within 
the first twelve miles of the river after 
entering it from Lake Erie, the largest of 
which is Grosse Isle, attached to Michi- 
gan, on which are a number of extensive 
and well-cultivated farms. This island 
has become a very popular retreat for 
citizens of Detroit during the heat of 
summer, there being here located good 
pubhc houses for tlie accommodation of 
visitors. 

Father Hennepin, who was a passenger 
on the " Griffin," the first vessel that 
crossed Lake Erie, in 1619, in his descrip- 
tion of the scenery along the route says : 
" The islands are the finest in the world : 
the strait is finer than Niagara ; the 
banks are vast meadows, and the pros- 
pect is terminated with some hills covered 
with vineyards, trees bearing good fruit, 
groves and forests so well disposed that 



DETROIT AND MILWAUKEE RAILROAD AND STEAMSHIP LINE. 



65 



one would think that Nature alone could 
not have made, without the help of art, so 
charming a prospect." 

COMPARATIVE PURITY OP DETROIT RIVER 
WATER. 

The following Table shows the solid 
matter in a gallon of water, taken from 
Lakes and Rivers in different cities ; 

Alttenv, Hudson River 0.320 

'JYoy, Mohawk Kiver 7.880 

Boston. Cochituate Lake 1.850 

New York, Cr<»ton Kiver 6.J)9S 

Brooklyn, L. L Ponds 2.367 

Philadcdphia, Schuylkill R 4.260 

Cincinnati, Ohio River 6.7-36 

Lake Ontario 4.160 

Detroit, Detroit River 5.722 

Cleveland, Lake Erie 6.000 

Montreal, St, Lawrence R 5.000 

Of the Detroit River water, Prof. 
Douglass, in his report of the analysis, 
says : " In estimating the value of your 
city water, as compared with other 
cities, due allowance must be made for 
the fact, that the total solid matter is 
materially increased by the presence of 



silica, alumina, and iron, elements that 
can produce little or no injury ; while the 
chlorides, much the most injurious com- 
pounds, are entirely absent. The pres- 
ence of such large quantities of silica and 
iron is accounted for by the fact that 
Lakes Superior and Huron are formed, for 
the most part, in a basin of ferruginous 
sandstone and igneous rock." 

NoTK. — The purity of the waters of Lake 
Superior, probabl}'^ e.xceeds all other bodies of 
water on the face of the globe, affording a cool 
and delightful beverage at all seasons. 



Coiiipariitive Increase of 
Lake Cities. 

1S40. 

Bttffalo, New York 18,213 

Chicago, 111 4,470 

Cleveland, Ohio .. 6,071 

Detroit, Mich.. ^.... 9,102 

Erie, Penn 

MiLWAUKEK, Wis 1,700 

Orwego, New York 

Raoine, Wis 

Sandusky. Ohio 1,434 

Toledo, Ohio 1,222 

* Black I^ock annexed. + Ohio City annexe<L 



1850. 


1880. 


42,261 


81,131* 


28.269 109,263 


17,034 


36.0.>4t 


21,019 


45,619 


5,858 


9.419 


20.061 


45.254 


12,205 


16,817 


5.107 


10,000 


6,008 


8,408 


3,829 


13,768 



DETROIT AND MILWAUKEE RAILROAD AND STEAMSHIP 

LINE, 

CONNECTING WITH THE GREAT LINES OF TRAVEL EAST AND WEST. 



On leaving the Railroad Depot at De- 
troit the line of this road runs in a north- 
west direction to PoNTiAC, 26 miles, pass- 
ing through a rich section of farming 
country. 

The route then continues westerly to 
Fentonville, 24 miles further, where 
commences a railroad route, running 
through Flinty and extending north to 
Saginaiv^ favorably situated on Saginaw 
river. It is intended to continue the 
Flint and Fere Marquette Railroad, some 
150 miles, to the shore of Lake Michigan. 

OwASSO, 78 miles from Detroit, and 
110 miles from Grand Haven, is an impor- 



tant station, from whence a railroad extends 
southwest to Lansing, the capital of the 
State of Michigan. It is intended to car- 
ry the line of this road north to Saginaw 
City, and from thence northwest to 
Traverse Bay on Lake Michigan, where is 
a good harbor. 

From Owasso, the Detroit and Mil- 
waukee Railroad runs westward through 
St. John's, Ionia, and other stations, pass- 
ing down the valley of the Grand River, 
a rich and populous section of country, 
producing large quantities of wheat and 
other agricultural productions, all of which 
find a ready sale in the Eastern markets. 



68 



TRIP THROUGH THE LAKES. 



" Up in the northern part of the Grand 
River Valley, and along and beyond the 
Muskegen River, an immense amount of 
pine timber is to be found, giving profit- 
able employment to a large number of 
lumbermen." 

Oraiicl Rapid<«, 158 miles west 
of Detroit, and forty miles above 
Crrand Haven, an incorporated city, is 
favorably situated on both banks of Grand 
River, where is a fall of about eighteen 
feet, afibrding an immense water-power. 
Steamers run from this place daily to 
Grand Haven, connecting with steamers 
for Milwaukee, Chicago, and other ports 
on Lake Michigan. Here is an active 
population of about 10,000, and rapidly 
increasing, surrounded by a new, fertile, 
and improving country, being ahke 
famous as a wheat and fruit region. 

The city now contains a court-house 
and jail ; 6 churches ; 5 hotels ; 60 stores 
of different kinds ; 3 grist-mills ; 5 saw- 
mills ; 3 cabinet- ware factories ; 2 machine- 
shops, and other manufacturing establish- 
ments. The private dwellings and many 
of the stores are elegant edifices, con- 
structed of building material which is 
found in the inmiediate vicinity. Exten- 
sive and inexhaustible beds of gypsum 
are found near this place, producing large 
quantities of stucco and plaster, all of 
which find a ready sale in Eastern and 
Western markets. It is estimated that 
25,000 tons of stucco for building, and 
plaster for fertilizing purposes, can be 
quarried and ground yearly from the 
different quarries in this vicinity. At the 
Eagle Mills, two miles below the city, is 
already formed an immense excavation, 
extending several hundred feet under 
ground, which is well worthy of a visit, 
where rich specimens of the gypsum can 
be obtained. 



Steamboat Route from Grand 
Rapids to Grand Haieii. 

Grand Rapids 

Eagle Plaster Mill 2 

Grandville 5 7 

Lament 13 20 

EastmanviUe 2 22 

Mill Point 16 38 

Grand Haven 2 40 



On leaving Grand Rapids for Grand 
Haven, hy railroad, the route extends 
north of the river, through a fertile section 
of country, mostly covered by a heavy 
growth of hardwood, although the pine 
predominates as you approach the lake 
shore. 

Grand Haven, Ottawa Co., 
Mich., is situated on both sides of Ot- 
tawa River, near its entrance into Lake 
Michigan, here eighty-five miles wide ; on 
the opposite side lies Milwaukee, Wis- 
consin. The different settlements, com-, 
prising Grand Haven, contain about 3,000 
inhabitants. Here are a court-house and 
jail ; 3 churches ; six hotels and taverns, 
and a number of stores and warehouses ; 
8 large steam saw-mills, pail and tub 
factories, a foundry and machine-shop, 
and other manufacturing establishments. 

Steamers and sail vessels run from 
Grand Haven, which has a well-protected 
harbor, to Milwaukee, Chicago, and other 
ports on Lake Michigan, carrying a large 
amount of produce and lumber. The 
fisheries in this vicinity are also pro- 
ductive and extensive. 

The sand hills on the east shore of Lake 
Michigan rise from 100 to 200 feet, pre- 
senting a sterile appearance, although the 
land in the interior is very rich and pro- 
ductive. 



TRIP FROM DETROIT TO MACKINAC, GREEN BAY, ETC. 



67 



Trip acro.^s L<akc Micliagasi. 



The staunch and well-built steamships, 
Detroit^ Capt. McBrido, and Milwaukee, 
Capt. Trowell, run twice daily across Lake 
Michigan, connecting with trains on the 
Detroit and Milwaukee railroad. This 
trip is delightful during the summer and 
autumn months when Lake Michigan is 
usually calm, affording a safe and delight- 
ful excursion of about six hours' contin- 
uance. The spacious cabins, and well- 
arranged dining-saloons of these ships, 
togetlier with the well-provided tables, 
renders this route to and from the Eastern 



cities oije of the most pleasant and desi- 
rable as regards speed and objects of in- 
terest. Usual fare from Milwaukee to 
Detroit, $8,00. Distance, 271 miles; 
time, 14 hours. 

From Milwaukee, westward, there is a 
direct connection both with the Milwaukee 
and Prairie du Chien Railroad^ and the 
La Crosse and Mihuaukee Railroad run- 
ning to the Mississippi River. A daily 
line of steamers run from the termination 
of both of the above railroads to St. Paul, 
Minnesota. 



TRIP FROM DETROIT TO MACKINAC, SAUT STE. MARIE, 

CHICAGO, &c. 



During the season of navigation propel- 
lers of a large class, with good accommoda- 
tions for passengers, leave Detroit daily di- 
rect for Mackinac, Green Bay, Milwaukee, 
and Chicago, situated on Lake Michigan. 

Steamers of a large class, carrying pas- 
sengers and freight, also leave Detroit, 
almost daily for the Saut Ste Marie, from 
thence passing through the Ship Canal 
into Lake Superior — forming delightful 
excursions during the summer and early 
autumn months. 

For further information of steamboat 
routes, see Advertisements. 

On leaving Detroit the steamers run in 
a northerly direction, passing Bdl or Hog 
Island, two miles distant, which is about 
three miles long and one mile broad, pre- 
senting a handsome appearance. The 
Canadian shore on the right is studded 
with dwellings and well cultivated farms. 

Peche Island is a small body 
of land attached to Canada, lying at the 
mouth of Detroit River, opposite which, 
on the Michigan shore, is Wind-Mill Point 
and light-house. 

Lake St. Clair commences seven 



miles above Detroit ; it may be said to be 
20 miles long and 25 miles wide, measur- 
ing its length from tlie outlet of St. Clair 
River to the head of Detroit River. Com- 
pared with the other lakes it is very shal- 
low, havmg a depth of only from 8 to 24 
feet as indicated by Bayfield's chart. It 
receives the waters of the Upper Lakes 
from the St. Clair Strait by several chan- 
nels forming islands, and discharges them 
into the Detroit River or Strait. In the 
upper portion of the lake are several ex- 
tensive islands, the largest of which is 
Walpole Island ; it belongs to Canada, and 
is inhabited mostly by Indians. All the 
islands to the west of Walpole Island be- 
long to Michigan. The Walpole, or " Old 
Ship Channel," forms the boundary 
between the United States and Canada. 
The main channel, now used by the 
larger class of vessels, is called the 
" North Channel." Here are passed the 
" St Clair Flats,^' a great impediment to 
navigation, for the removal of which Con- 
gress will no doubt make ample apjiro- 
priation sooner or later. The northeastern 
channel, separating Walpole Island from 



68 



TRIP THROUGH THE LAKES. 



the main Canada shore, is called " Che- 
nail Ecarte^ Besides the waters passing 
through the Strait of St. Clair,. Lake St. 
Clair receives the river Thames from the 
Canada side, which is navigable to Chat- 
ham, some 24 miles ; also the waters of 
Clinton River from the west or American 
side, the latter being navigable to Mt. 
Clemens, Michigan. Several otlier streams 
flow into the lake from Canada, the prin- 
cipal of which is the River Sydenham. 
Much of the land bordering on the lake is 
low and marshy, as well as the islands ; 
and in places there are large plains which 
are used for grazing cattle. 

Ashley, or Nkw Baltimore, situ- 
ated on the N. W. side of Lake St. 
Clair, oO miles from Detroit, is a new and 
flourishing place, and has a fine section of 
country in the rear. It contains three 
steam saw-mills, several other manufac- 
tories, and about 1,000 inhabitants. A 
steamboat rims from this place to Detroit. 

Mt. Clemens, Macomb Co., Mich., is 
situated on Clinton River, six miles above 
its entrance into Lake St. Clair, and about 
30 miles from Detroit by lake and river. 
A bteamer plies daily to and from Detroit 
during the season of navigation. Mt. 
Clemens contains the county buildings, 
several churches, three hotels, and a num- 
ber of stores and manufacturing establish- 
ments, and about 2,000 inhabitants. De- 
troit is distant by plank road only 20 
miles. 

Chatham, C. "W., 46 miles from Detroit 
by railroad route, and about 24 
miles above the mouth of the river 
Thames, which enters into Lake St. 
Clair, is a port of entry and thriving place 
of business, where have been built a large 
number of steamers and sail- vessels. 

Algonac, Mich., situated near the foot 
of St. Clair River, 40 miles from Detroit, 
contains a church, two or three saw- 
mills, a grist-mill, woollen factory, ^ and 
about 700 inhabitants. 

Newport, Mich., seven miles farther 



north, is noted for steamboat building, 
there being extensive ship-yards, where 
are annually employed a large number of 
workmen. Here are four steam saw- 
mills, machine shops, etc. Population 
about 1,200. Belle River here enters the 
St. Clair from the west. 

St. Clair Strait connects Lake Huron 
with Lake St. Clair, and discharges the 
surplus waters of Lakes Superior, Mich- 
igan, and Huron. It flows in a southerly 
direction, and enters Lake St. Clair by six 
channels, the north one of which, on the 
Michigan side, is the only one at present 
navigated by large vessels in ascending 
and descending the river. It receives 
several tributaries from the west, or 
Michigan ; the principal of which are 
Black River, Pine River, and Belle River, 
and several rivers flow into it from the 
east, or Canadian side. It lias several 
flourishing villages on its banks. It is 
48 miles long, from a half to a mile wide, 
and has an average depth of from 40 to 
60 feet, with a current of three miles an 
hour, and an entire descent of about 15 
feet. Its waters are clear and transparent, 
the navigation easy, and the scenery 
varied and beautiful — forming for its en- 
tire length, the boundary between the 
United States and Canada. The banks of 
the upper portion are high ; those of the 
lower portion are low and in parts in- 
clined to be marshy. Both banks of the 
river are generally well settled, and many 
of the farms are beautifully situated. 
There are several wharves constructed on 
the Canada side, for tlie convenience of 
supplying the numerous steamboa s pass- 
ing and repassing witli wood. There is 
also a settlement of the Chippewa In- 
dians in the township of Sarnia, Canada; 
the Indians reside in small log or bark 
houses of their own erection. 

The City of St. Clair, Mich., is 
pleasantly situated on the west side of St. 
Clair Strait, 5G miles from Detroit and 14 
miles from Lake Huron. This is a thriv- 



TRIP FROM DETROIT TO MACKINAC, GREEN BAY, CHICAGO, ETC. C9 



ing place, with many fine buildings, and 
ia a great lumber depot. It contains the 
county buildings for St. Clair Co., several 
churches and hotels, one flouring-mill, and 
five steam saw-mills, besides other manu- 
facturing establishments, and about ;},000 
inhabitants. St. Clair has an active 
business in the construction of steamers 
and other lake craft. The site of old 
Fort St. Olair, now in ruins, is on the 
border of the town. 

SouTiiERLAND, C. "W., IS a Small village 
on tlie Canada shore, opposite St. Clair, 
It was laid out in 1833 by a Scotch gentle- 
man of the same name, who here erected 
an Episcopal church, and made other 
valuable improvements. 

MoORB, is a small village ten miles 
below Sarnia on the Canada side. 

Fromefield, or Talfourd's, C. W., is 
another small village, handsomely situated 
four and a half miles below Sarnia. Here 
is an Episcopal church, a windmill, and a 
cluster of dwellings. 

The city of Port Huron, St. Clair 
Co., Mich., a port of entry, is advantageous- 
ly situated on the west bank of St. Clair 
River, at the mouth of Black River, two 
miles below Lake Huron. It was char- 
tered in 1858, and now contains one Con- 
gregational, one Episcopal, one Baptist, 
one Methodist, and one Roman Catholic 
Church ; six hotels, and public houses, 
forty stores, and several warehouses ; one 
steam flouring-mill, eight steam saw-mills, 
producing annually a large amount of 
lumber, the logs being rafted down Black 
River, running through an extensive pine 
ragion ; here are also, two yards for build- 
ing of lake craft, two refineries of petrole- 
um oil. one iron foundry, and several other 
manufacturing establishments. Popula- 
tion in 1860, 4,000. 

During tlie season of navigation, there 
is daily intercourse by steamboats with 
Detroit, Saginaw, and ports on the Upper 
Lakes. A steam ferry-boat also plies be- 
tween Port Huron and Sarnia, C. W., the 



St. Clair River here being about one mile 
in widtli. A branch of the Grand Trunk 
Railway runs from Fort (Iratiot, one mile 
and a half above Port Huron, to Detroit, 
a distance of G2 miles, affording alto- 
gether speedy m«des of conveyance. A 
railroad is also proposed to run from 
Port Huron, to intersect with the Detroit 
and Milwaukee Railroad, at Owasso, Mich- 
igan. 

Fort Gratiot, one and a half miles 
north of Port Huron, lies directly oppo- 
site Point Henry, C. W., both situated at 
the foot of Lake Huron, where commences 
St. Clair River. It has become an impor- 
tant point since the completion of the 
Grand Trunk Railway of Canada, finished 
in 1859, which road terminates by a 
branch at Detroit, Mich., thus forming a 
direct railroad communication from Lake 
Huron, eastward, to Montreal, Quebec, 
and Portland, Maine. 

The village stands contiguous to the 
site of Fort Gratiot, and contains besides 
the railroad buildings, which are exten- 
sive, one church, five public houses, the 
Gratiot House being a well-kept hotel; 
two stores, one oil refinery, and about 400 
inhabitants. A steam ferry-boat plies 
across the St. Clair River, to accommodate 
passengers and freight; the river liere 
being about 1,000 feet wide, and running 
with considerable velocity, having a depth 
of from 20 to 60 feet. 

In a military and commercial point of 
view, this place attracts great attention, 
no doubt, being destined to increase in 
population and importance. The Fort was 
built in 1814, at the close of the war with 
Great Britain, and consists of a stockade, 
including a magazine, barracks, and other 
accommodations for a garrison of one bat- 
talion. It fully commands the entrance 
to Lake Huron from the American shore, 
and is an interesting landmark to the mar- 
iner. 

Sarnia, C. W., situated on the east 
bank of St. Clair River, two miles belov,' 



70 



TRIP THROUGH THE LAKES. 



Lake Huron and 68 above Detroit, is ai 
port of entry and a place of considerable 
trade ; two linos of railroad terminate at 
this point, and it is clo;=ely connected with 
Port Huron on the American shore by 
means of a steam ferry. The town con- 
tains a court-house and jail, county regis- 
ter's office and town hall ; one Episcopal, 
one Methodist, one Congregational, one 
Baptist, one Roman Catholic, and one Free 
Church ; seven public houses, the princi- 
pal being the Alexander House and the 
Western Hotel; twenty stores and sev- 
eral groceries; two grain elevatorSj two 
steam saw-mills ; one steam grist-mill one 
large barrel factory, one steam cabinet 
factory, one steam iron foundry, and one 
refinery of petroleum oil, besides other 
manufacturing establishments. Popula- 
tion, 2,000. 

The Grand Trunk Railway of Canada 
terminates at Point Edward, 2 miles from 
Sarnia, extending eastward to Montreal, 
Quebec, and Portland, Me. ; a branch of 
the Great Western Railway also termi- 
nates at Sarnia, affording a direct commu- 
nication with Niagara Falls, Boston, and 
New York. Steamers run from Sarnia to 
Goderich and Saugeen, C. W. ; also to and 
from Detroit, and ports on the Upper 
Lakes. 

The celebrated EnniskiUen Oil Wells, 
yielding an immense quantity of petroleum 
oil of a superior quality, are distant some 
18 or 20 miles from Sarnia, this being the 
nearest shipping port. These wells are 
easy of access by means of railway and 
plank-roads ; the oil is brought to Sarnia 
in barrels, and much of it shipped from 
hence direct to European ports, passing 
down the St. Lawrence River. 

The St. Clair River, opposite Sarnia, here 
one mile in width, flows downward with a 
strong current, at the rate of about six 
miles an hour. 



Steamboat Route from Sar« 
Ilia to Godcrieli, Saugeen, 
etc. 

Steamers running to and from Detroit 
on their way to the different ports on the 
east shore of Lake Huron, usually hug 
the Canada side, leaving the broad waters 
of the lake to the westward. 

Point Edward, 2 miles above Sarnia, 
lies at the foot of Lake Huron, opposite 
Fort Gratiot, where are erected a large 
depot and warehouses connected with the 
Grand Trunk Eailioay of Canada. Here 
terminates the grand railroad connection 
extending from the Atlantic ocean to the 
Upper Lakes. It also commands the 
entrance into Lake Huron and is an im- 
portant military position although at pres- 
ent unfortified. In the vicinity is an ex- 
cellent fishery, from whence large quanti- 
ties of fish are annually exported. 

Bayfield, C. W., 108 miles from De- 
troit, is a new and flourishing place, sit- 
uated at the mouth of a river of the same 
name. 

Goderich, 120 miles north of Detroit, 
is situated on elevated ground at the 
mouth of Maitland River, where is a good 
harbor. This is a very important and 
growing place, where terminates the Buf- 
falo and Huron Railroad, 160 miles in 
length. {See page 53.) 

Kincardine, thirty miles from Gode- 
rich, is another port on the Canadian side 
of Lake Huron, where the British steam- 
ers land and receive passengers on their 
trips to Saugeen. 

Saugeen, C. W., is situated at the mouth 
of a river of the same name, where is a 
good harbor for steamers and lake craft. 
This is the most northern port to which 
steamers now run on the Canada side of 
Lake Huron, and wiU no doubt, ere long 
be reached bv railroad. 



TRIP FROM DETROIT TO MACKINAC, GREEN BAT, CHICAGO, ETC. 71 



Steamboat Route from Port 
Iluroii to Sa$^iiia\r City, etc. 

On leaving the wharf at Port Huron, 
the steamers pass Fort Grratiot and enter 
the broad waters of Lake Huron, one of 
the Great Upper Lakes, all alike celebrated 
for the sparkling purity of their waters. 
The shores are for the most part low, 
being covered by a heavy growth of 
forest trees. 

Lakeport, 11 miles from Port Hu- 
ron, is a small village lying on the lake 
shore, 

Lexington, 11 miles further, is the 
capital of Sanilac County, Michigan, 
where is a good steamboat landing and a 
flourishing settlement. 

Poet Sanilac, 34 miles above Port 
Huron, is another small settlement. 

FoRRESTViLLE, Mich., 47 miles from 
Port Huron, and 120 miles north of De- 
troit, situated on the west side of Lake 
Huron, is a new settlement, where is 
erected an extensive steam saw-mill. It 
has some three or four hundred inhabi- 
tants, mostly engaged in the lumber trade. 
Several other small settlements are situ- 
ated on the west shore of Lake Huron, 
which can be seen from the ascending 
steamer, before reaching Point aui Bar- 
ques, about seventy-five miles above Port 
Huron, 

Saginaw Bay is next entered, present- 
ing a wide expanse of waters ; Lake Hu- 
ron here attaining its greatest width, 
where the mariner often encounters fierce 
storms, which are prevalent on all of the 
Upper Lakes, To the eastward lies the 
Georgian Bay of Canada, with its innu- 
merable island.s. 

Bay City, or Lower Saginaw, near 
the mouth of Saginaw River, is a flourish- 
ing town, with a population of about 
2,500. Here is a good harbor, from 
whence a large amount of lumber is an- 
nually exported. It has fifteen saw-mills, 
and other manufacturing establishments. 



Steamers run daily to Detroit and other 
ports. 

East Saginaw, situated on the right 
bank of the river, about one mile below 
Saginaw City, is a new and flourishing 
place, and bids fair to be one of the most 
important cities of the state. It is largely 
engaged in the lumber trade, and in the 
manufacture of salt of a superior quality. 
There are several large steam saw-mills, 
many with gangs of saws, and capable of 
sawing from four to five million feet of 
lumber annually ; grist and ttouring-mills, 
with four run of stones, planing-mills, 
foundries, machine shops, breweries, a 
ship-3^ard, and other manufacturing es- 
tablishments, giving employment to a 
great number of workmen. Here is a 
well-kept hotel, and several churches ; a 
banking office and a number of large 
stores and warehouses. Coal of a good 
quality is abundant, being found near the 
river, and the recent discovery of salt 
springs in the neighborhood is of incal- 
culable value, the manufacture of salt 
being carried on very extensively. Popu- 
lation, 4,500. 

Several lines of steamers, and one of 
propellers, sail from this port regularly 
for Detroit and other lake ports. It is 
near the head of navigation for lake craft, 
where five rivers unite with the Saginaw, 
giving several hundred miles of water 
communication for river rafting and the 
floating of saw-logs. The surrounding 
country is rich in pine, oak, cherry, black- 
walnut, and other valuable timber. A 
railroad is finished from this place to 
Flint, connecting by stages with the De- 
troit and Milwaukee railroad. 

Saginaw City, Saginaw County, Mich., 
is handsomely situated on the left bank 
of the river, 23 miles above its mouth. It 
contains a court-house and jail, several 
churches, two hotels, fifteen stores, two 
wareliouses, and six steam saw-mills. 
Population about 3,000. There is a fine 
section of country in the rear of Saginaw, 



12 



TRIP TIIIlOTTGTr THE LAKES. 



much of wliich is heavily timi;j red; the 
soil produces grain in abund;ace, while 
the streams atlbrd means of e.^isy trans- 
portation to market. Steamers run daily 



fo.n Saginaw City and East Saginaw to 
iX'tioit, Chicago, dtc, and other ports on 
the lakes, during the season, of naviga- 
tion. 



LAKE HURON. 



The waters of Lake Huron, lying be- 
tween 43° and 46° north latitude, are 
surrounded by low shores on every side. 
The most prominent features are Saginaw 
Bay on the southwest, and the Georgian 
Bay on the nortlieast; tlie latter large 
body of water being entirely in tlie limits 
of Canada. The lake proper, may be said 
to be 100 miles in width, from east to 
west, and 250 miles in length, from south 
to north, terminating at the Straits of 
Mackinac. It is nearly destitute of is- 
lands, presenting one broad expanse of 
waters. It possesses several good har- 
bors on its western shores, although as yet 
but little frequented. Point aux Barques, 
Tliunder Bay, and Thunder Bay Islands, 
are prominent points to the mariner. 

Tawas, or Ottawa Bay, lying on the 
northwest side of Saginaw Bay, affords a 
good harbor and refuge during storms, as 
well as Thunder Bay, lying farther to 
the north. Off Saginaw Bay, the widest 
part of the lake, rough weather is often 
experienced, rendering it necessary for 
steamers and sail vessels to run for a har- 
bor or place of safety. 

In addition to the surplus waters which 
Lake Huron receives through the Straits 
of Mackinac and the St. Mary's River 
from the north, it receives the Abaters of 
Saginaw River, and several other small 
streams from ihe west. This lake drains 
but a very small section of country com- 
pared to its magnitude, Avhile its depth is 
a matter of astonishment, being from 100 
to 150 feet, according to recent surveys; 



altitude above the ocean, 574 feet, being 
26 feet below the surface of Lake Supe- 
rior. Its outlet, the St. Clair River, does 
not seem to be much larger than the St. 
Mary's River, its principal inlet, thus leav- 
ing nearly all its other waters falling in 
the basin, to pass ofi' by evaporation. On 
entering the St. Clair River, at Fort Gra- 
tiot, after passing over the Upper Lakes, 
the beholder is surprised to find all these 
accumulated waters compressed down to 
a width of about 1,000 feet, the depth 
varying from 20 to 60 feet, with a strong 
downward current. 

The Straits of MackinaCy connecting 
Lakes Huron and Michigan, is a highly 
interesting body of water, embosoming 
several picturesque islands, with beautiful 
headlands along its shores. It varies in 
width from 5 to 30 miles, from mainland 
to mainland, and may be said to be from 
30 to 40 miles in iengtli. Here are good 
fishing grounds, as well as at several 
other points on Lake Huron and Georgian 
Bay. 

The climate of Lake Huron and its 
shores is perceptibly warmer than Lake 
Superior during the spring, summer, and 
autumn montlis, while the winter season 
is usually rendered extremely cold from 
the prevalence of northerly winds passing 
over its exposed surface. On the 30th of 
July, 1860, at 8 A. M., the temperature of 
the air near the middle of Lake Huron, 
was 64° Fahr., the water on the surface. 
52", and at the bottom, 50 fathoms (iJOO 
feet) 42" Fahr. 



THE LOWER PENINSULA OF MICHIGAN. 



The Lower Peninsula of Michigan is 
nearly surrounded by the waters of the 
Great Lakes, and, in this respect, its situ- 
ation is naturally more favorable for all 
the purposes of trade and coramcrco than 
■s** any other of the "Western States. 

The numerous streams wliich penetrate 
every portion of the Peninsula, some of 
which are navigable for steamboats a con- 
siderable distance from the lake, being 
natural outlets for the products of the 
interior, render this whole region desira- 
ble for purposes of settlement and cultiva- 
tion. P]ven as far north as the Strait of 
Mackinac, tlie soil and climate, together 
with the valuable timber, ofter great in- 
ducements to settlers ; and if the proposed 
railroads, under the recent grant of large 
portions of these lands by Congress, are 
constructed from and to the different 
points indicated, this extensive and heavi- 
ly timbered region will speedUy be re- 
claimed, and become one of the most 
substantial and prosperous agricultural 
portions of the West. 

It is well that in the system of compen- 
sation, which seems to be a great law of 
the universe, the vast prairies which 
comprise so large a portion of this great 
Western domain are provided so well with 
corresponding regions of timber, affording 
the necessary supply of lumber fat the 
demand of the increasing population which 
is so rapidly pouring into these Western 
States. 

The State of Michigan — all the waters 
of which flow into the Basin of the St. 
Lawrence — Northern Wisconsin, and Min- 
nesota are the sources from which the 
States of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and Iowa, 
and a large portion of the prairie country 
west of the Mississippi, must derive their 
supply of this important article (lumber). 
The supply in the West is now equal to the 
demand, but the consumption is so great, 
and the demand so constantly increasing 



with the development and settlement of 
the country, that of necessity, within 
comparatively a very few years, tliese vast 
forests will be exhausted. But as the 
timber is exhausted the soil is prepared 
for cultivation, and a large portion of tlie 
northern part of the southern Peninsula 
of Michigan will be settled and cultivated, 
as it is the most reliable wlieat-growing 
portion of the Union. 

Besides the ports and towns already 
described, there are on Lake Huron, after 
leaving Saginaw Bay, going north, several 
settlements and lumber estabhshments, 
fisheries, &c. These are at Tawas Bay, 
mouth of the River au Sable, Black River, 
&c. 

Alpena, situated at the head of Thun- 
der Bay, is a very flourishing town, and 
the capital of Alpena County. It contains 
about 500 inhabitants, and four saw-mills, 
possessing a superior water-power on the 
river here emptying into the bay. It is 
both a lumber and fishing station of con- 
siderable importance. 

Duncan is the next place of importance 
on the lake coast, situated near the mouth 
of Cheboygan River. The United States 
Land Office for this district is located at 
this place. Nearly opposite lies Bois Blanc 
Island, a large and fertile tract of land. 

The celebrated Island of Mackinac is 
next reached, lying within the straits, 
surrounded by a cluster of interesting 
points of land justly celebrated in Indian 
legends and traditions. 

Old Mackinac, lying on the mainland, 
is one of the most interesting points, being 
celebrated both in French and Knglish 
history when those two gi-eat powers con- 
tended for the possession of this va.^t Lake 
Region. It is proposed to build a railroad 
from Old Mackinac to Saginaw, and one to 
the southern confines of the State, while 
another line of road will extend north- 
westward to Lake Superior, crossing the 



74 



TRIP THROUGH THE LAKES. 



Straits by a steam ferry. A town plot has 
been surveyed, and preparations made for 
settlement. 

Passing around the western extremity 
of the Peninsula, at the Waugoshance Light 
and Island, the next point is LiUle Traverse 
Bay, a most beautiful sheet of water. 

About fifteen miles southwesterly from 
Little Traverse we enter Grand Traverse 
Bay, a large and beautiful arm of the 
lake, extending about thirty miles inland. 
This bay is divided into two parts by a 
point of land, from two to four miles wide, 
extending from the head of the bay about 
eigliteen miles toward the lake. The 
country around this bay is exceedingly 
picturesque, and embraces one of the finest 
agricultural portions of tlie State. The 
climate is mild, and fruit and grain of all 
kinds suitable to a northern latitude are 
produced, with less liability to injury from 
frost than in some of the southern portions 
of the State, 

Grand Traverse City is located at the 
head of the west arm of the bay, and is 
the terminus of the proposed railroad from 
Grand Rapids, a distance of about 140 miles. 

Passing out of tlie bay and around the 
point dividing the west arm from the lake, 
we first arrive at the river Aux Bees Sceis. 
There is here a natural harbor, capable of 
accommodating the larger class of vessels 
and steamboats. A town named Frank- 
fort has been commenced at this place, 
and with its natural advantages, and the 
enterprise of parties who now contemplate 
making furtlier improvements, it will soon 
become a very desirable and convenient 
point for the accommodation of navigators. 
The islands con) prising the Beavers, 
the Manitous, and Fox Isles sliould here 
be noticed. The Beavers lie a little south 
of west from the entrance to the Strait of 
Mackinac, the Manitous a little south of 
these, and the Foxes still farther down the 
lake. These are all valuable for fishing 
purposes, and for wood and lumber. Lying 
in the route of aU the steamboat lines from 



Chicago to Buffalo and the Upper Lakes, 
the harbors on these islands are stopping- 
points for the boats, and a profitable trade 
is conducted in furnishing the necessary 
supplies of wood, etc. 
. We next arrive at Manistee, a small 
but important settlement at the mouth of 
tlie Manistee River. The harbor is a 
natural one, but requires some improve- 
ment. A large trade is carried on with 
Chicago in lumber. 

The next point of importance is the 
mouth of the Fere Marquette River. Here 
is the terminus of the proposed railroad 
from Flint, in Genesee County, connect- 
ing with Detroit by the Detroit and Mil- 
waukee Railway, a distance of about 180 
miles. 

The harbor is very superior, and the 
country in the vicinity is well adapted for 
settlement. About 16 miles in the inte- 
rior is situated one of the most compact 
and extensive tracts of pine timber on the 
western coast. 

About forty miles south of this, in the 
county of Oceana, a small village is loca- 
ted at the mouth of White River. The har- 
bor here is also a natural one, and the 
region is settled to considerable extent by 
farmers. Lumber is, however, the prin- 
cipal commodity, and the trade is prin- 
cipally with the Chicago market. 

The next point, Muskegon, at the mouth 
of the Muskegon River, is supported prin- 
cipally by the large lumber region of 
the interior. Numerous steam saw-mills 
are now in active operation here, giving 
the place an air of life and activity. 

The harbor is one of the best on the 
lake, and is at present accessible for all the 
vessels trading between Muskegon and 
Chicago. 

Grand Haven, Ottawa Co., Mich, is 
situated on both sides of Grand River, at 
its entrance into Lake Michigan, here 
eighty-five miles wide; on the opposite side 
lies Milwaukee, Wis. For further descrip- 
tion, seepage 66. 



DIRECT STEAMBOAT ROUTE FROM DETROIT TO 
GREEN BAY, CHICAGO, &c. 



Sailing direct through Lake Huron to 
Mackinac, or to the De Tour entrance to 
St. Mary's River, a distance of about 330 
miles, the steamer often runs out of sight 
of land on crossing Saginaw Bay. 

Thunder Bay Light is first sighted and 
passed, and then Fresque Isle Light, when 
the lake narrows and the Strait of Mack- 
inac is soon entered, where lies the ro- 
mantic Island of Mackinac. The Strait 
of Mackinac, with tlie approaches thereto 
from Lakes Huron and Michigan, will al- 
ways command attention from the passing 
traveller. Through this channel will pass, 
for ages to come, a great current of com- 
merce, and its shores will be enlivened 
with civilized life. 

In this great commercial route, Lake 
Huron is traversed its entire length, often 
affording the traveller a taste of sea-sick- 
ness and its consequent evils. Yet there 
often are times when Lake Huron is hard- 
ly ruffled, and the timid passenger enjoys 
the voyage with as much zest as the more 
experienced mariner. 

Mackinac, crowned by a fortress, where 
wave the Sfarb and the Stripes, the gem of 
the Upper Lake islands, may vie with any 
other locality for the salubrity of its cli- 
mate, for its picturesque beauties, and for 
its vicinity to tine fishing-grounds. Here 
the invalid, the seeker of pleasure, as 
well as the sportsman and angler, can find 
enjoyment to their heart's content during 
warm weather. For description, seep. 88. 

On leaving Mackinac for Green Bay, the 
steamer generally runs a west course for 
the mouth of the bay, passing the Beaver 
Islands in Lake Micliigan before entering 
the waters of Green Bay, about 150 miles. 

Summer Island lies on the north side 
and Rock Island lies on the south side 
of the entrance to Green Bay, forming a 
charming view from the deck of a steamer. 



Washington or PoTAWATOiiEE Island, 
Chambers' Island, and other small islands 
are next passed on the upward trip toward 
the head of the bay. 

Washington Harbor, situated at the 
north end of Washington Island, is a pictu- 
resque fishing station, aftbrding a good 
steamboat-landing and safe anchorage. 

Green Bay, about 100 miles long and 
from 20 to 30 miles wide, is a splendid 
sheet of water, destined no doubt to be 
enlivened with commerce and pleasure 
excursions. Here are to be seen a num- 
ber of picturesque islands and headlands. 
Several important streams enter into 
Green Bay, the largest of which is Neenah 
or Fox River, at its head, and is the outlet 
of Winnebago Lake. Menomonee River 
forms the boundary between the States of 
Wisconsin and Michigan, and empties in- 
to the bay opposite Green Island. 

The recent improvement of the Fox and 
Wisconsin Rivers, not only opens steam- 
boat navigation between the Bay and the 
head of Lake Winnebago, but it connects 
the Fox and Wisconsin Rivers, one of 
which, flowing northward, falls into the At- 
lantic through the St. Lawrence, and the 
other, running southward, discharges its 
waters, through the Mississippi, into the 
Gulf of Mexico. By this connection a 
steamer can start from New Orleans, pass 
up the Mississippi to the mouth of the 
Wisconsin, pass up this river to Portage, 
tlirough a short canal to the Upper Fox 
Rivers, down this river to Lake Winne- 
bago, at Oshkosh, — down the lake to the 
point where it contracts into the Lower 
Fox, — down this romantic river some 
thirty-five miles, by means of numerous 
canals around the principal rapids, into 
Green Bay, and so on without interruption 
through the great lakes into the St. Law- 
rence to the Atlantic Ocean. 



76 



TRIP THROUGH THE LAKES. 




Wisconsin, the Capital of 
Brown County, is advanta- 
geously situated near the 
mouth of Fox or Neenah 
river, at its entrance into Green Bay, where 
is a good and secure harbor. It lies 90 
miles southwest from Lake Michigan, by 
water, 25 miles due west of Kewaunee, 
on the west shore of Lake Michigan, and 
115 miles north from Milwaukee. The 
town is handsomely situated, and con- 
tains many large warehouses and elegant 
residences, together with several churches, 
hotels, and stores of different kinds, and 
about 5,000 inhabitants. The improve- 
ment of Fox River by dams and locks, in 
connection with the improvements on the 
Wisconsin River, affords an uninterrupted 
steam navigation from Green Bay to Prai- 
rie du Chien, on the Mississippi River — 
thus making Green Bay a great point for 
the trans-shipment of goods and produce 
of every variety ; the largest class steam- 
ers and propellers running to Chicago on 
the south, Saut Ste. Marie on the north, 
as well as to CoUingwood, to Sarnia, to 
Detroit, and to Buftalo on the east. The 
lumber trade of Green Bay is immense, 
this whole section of country abounding 
in timber of difibrent kinds the most use- 
ful for building purposes. There is no 
city in the West which can boast of a po- 
sition so advantageous commercially, or 
which will compare with it in after years 
in the wealth and extent of its trade. 
With an uninterrupted water conununica- 
tion East and South, a harbor live miles 



in length, capable of accom- 
modating the shipping of the 
whole lakes, it will eventual- 
ly be connected by Railroad 
with every important point 
West and North, as the near- 
est route to and from the East- 
ern and Southern markets. 
AsTOR is the name of a sub- 
urb of Green Bay, lying at the mouth of 
Fox River, while on the opposite side of the 
stream stands Fort Howard, surrounded 
by a village of the same name, where ter- 
minates the Chicago and Korthivest Bail- 
way, running south to Chicago, 242 miles. 
Oconto, situated on Green Bay, at the 
mouth of the Oconto River, is a new and 
thriving lumber settlement. It lies 25 
miles north of the town of Green Bay, 
having daily communication by steamboat. 
As regards the lumbering interests of 
this region, a late writer says: " Oconto 
County is a portion of the great Pine re- 
gion of Northern Wisconsin, lying along 
the west shore of Green Bay, and is, for 
lumbering purposes, one of the most im- 
portant counties in the State— being easy 
of access during the season of navigation, 
and supplied with an almost exhaustless 
amount of excellent pine timber. Mene- 
kaunee is at the extreme northern verge 
of the county, at the mouth of Menomo- 
nee River, and is already the seat of an 
important trade. The settlement (which 
also includes " Mission Point" and ''Mari- 
nette") is scattered along the bank of the 
river for a distance of some two miles, 
and contains about 1,500 inhabitants. 

"The extensive mills of the 'N. Y, 
Lumber Co.' are located at this point, and 
are weU worth a trip from your city to 
see. Some idea may be formed of the 
vast amount of business done by this 
Company, when the fact is stated, that 
they had within their booms, at the com- 
mencement of the season, over fifty acr&'- 
of Inijs. This vast amount of material will 
lind its way into market, before the seasou 



STEAMBOAT ROUTE FllOM DKTilOIT TO GREEN BAY, CHICAGO, ETC. 77 



closes, in the shape of good marketable 
lumber. This Company's Mills alone turn 
out over half a viillion of feet per week, 
all of which, I beheve, goes to the Chicago 
market. 

"But it must be borne in mind that 
this is but a fraction of the lumber which 
is made in this county. There are, be- 
fiidcs the mills Tiere, extensive lumbering 
establishments at Peshtigo, Oloton, Pen- 
fUiukee, and Little Suamico, which proba- 
bly turn out in the aggregate at least two 
million feet of lumber per week, or eighty 
millions per year — which added to the es- 
timate for this place, makes a yearly pro- 
duct of one hundred and twenty miUions. 
A fair amount of business, for a single 
county of not over 5,000 inhabitants." 

Nenomonee City, Oconto County, Wis., 
is a thriving settlement, situated on 
the west side of Green Bay, near the 
mouth of Nenomonee iliver, containing 
2,000 inhabitants, 5 large saw-mills, and 
several stores. The country to the west 
and north of this place is as yet a wilder- 
ness, inhabited only by a few roving In- 
dians. The Nenomonee River forms the 
boundary, in part, between Michigan and 
Wisconsin. 

Fensaukee, Peshtigo, and other towns 
are springmg up on the west shore of 
Green Bay, wliero are to be found numer- 
ous large lumber establishments situated 
on the streams running into the bay. 

EsCANABA, Delta Co., Michigan, is a 
new and promising town situated on the 
western shore of Little Bay de Noc, 120 
miles north of the city of Green Bay, and 
is tlie southern terminus of the Feninsula 
Railroad of Michigan. This place, laid 
out in the Spring of 1864, has command- 
ing advantages, where is a good and se- 
cure harbor of easy access, with a sufB- 
ciont depth of water for the largest class 
of vessels navigating the lakes. The 
docks erected by the railroad company 
are of a substantial and conuuodioua 



character, intended for tho transhipment 
of iron and copper ore from the Lake Su- 
perior mines, distant about 65 miles. 

The site of the town lies on Sand Point, 
where is a favorable view of the waters 
of Green Bay lying to the south, and 
Little Bay de ISioc on the north. The 
streets are laid out at right angles, with 
ample public grounds adjoining the water- 
front. Stores and warehouses are about 
being erected, also a church, and a first- 
class hotel. The future of this place is 
hard to predict, its growth being identi- 
fied with the rich mineral deposits of tho 
Upper Peninsula of Michigan, bordering 
on Lake Superior, 

Steamers run from Green Bay to Es- 
canaba, connecting with the Northwestern 
Railway, extending to Chicago, and with 
the Peninsula Kailroad running to tho 
Iron Mountain on Lake Superior. 

Gena, or Mason, situated on Little Bay 
de .DC, at the northern extremity of 
Green Bay, is a new and promising place. 
A mail route is now opened from Gena, 
situated at the head of Green Bay, to 
Marquette, Lake Superior, a distance by 
land of about 56 miles. 



Route from Green Bay to 
FoBid (111 L<ac, WiseosisiBi. 

There is now a railroad and steamboat 
route, extending from Green Bay to Ap- 
pleton, Oshkosh, and Fond du Lac, situa- 
ted at the head of Lake Winnebago, 60 
miles distant, the latter passing through 
Fox River and the above beautiful sheet 
of water. 

Fox or Neenah River rises in Marquette 
Co., AVis., and passing through Lake Win- 
nebago, forms its outlet. This important 
sLrea!ii h rendered navigable for steamers 



78 



TRIP THROUGH THE LAKES. 



of a small class by means of dams aud 
locks, forming, in connection with a short 
canal to the Wisconsin River, a direct wa- 
ter communication from Green Bay to the 
Mississippi River, a distance of about 200 
miles. The rapids in the lower part of 
Fox River afford an immense water-power, 
while the upper section of country through 
which it flows, produces lumber and grain 
in great abundance. Here is a fall of 170 
feet in the distance of 35 miles, before en- 
tering Lake Winnebago. 

De Pere, 5 miles above Green Bay, is a 
town of about 700 inhabitants, where is 
a fall of 8 feet, also a lock for the passage 
of steamers. 

Little Kaukauna, 11 miles, has a fall 
of 8 feet, with lock and dam. 

WRiaiiTSTOWN, 16 miles, is a small set- 
tlement, where is a steam saw-mill and 
other manufacturing establishments. 

Rapid de Croope, 2 miles further, is a 
steamboat landing. Here is a lock and 
dam, there being a fall of about 10 feet. 

Kaukauna, 3 miles further, is a small 
village. Here are five locks, overcoming 
a fall of 60 feet. 

Little Chute, 25 miles from Green Bay, 
is a small French settlement, where is an 
old Roman Catholic Mission House. Here 
are four locks, there being a descent of 40 
feet in the river. 

Appleton, Outaganie Co., Wis., is situ- 
ated on Fox or Neenah River, 30 miles 
from its entrance into Green Bay, and 
five miles from Lake Winnebago, where 
are rapids called the Grand Chute. The 
river descends here about 30 feet in one 
mile and a half, affording an inexhaustible 
amount of water-power. Here are located 
three tlouring-raills, six saw-mills, and 
several otlier extensive manufacturing es- 
tablishments. This is the capital of the 
county, where is situated the Lawrence 
University ; and it is no doubt destined to 
become a large manufacturing and com- 
mercial place, from the facilities which it 
possesses, by means of navigation and hy- 



draulic power. Population, 4000. Steam- 
ers run south into Lake Winnebago, and 
north into Green Bay. 

The approach to Appleton from Green 
Bay, by water, is most lovely and pictur- 
esque, — the river here winding through a 
rich section of country, clothed for several 
miles by a. dense forest, extending to the 
very margin of the water. During the 
early autumn months the scene is truly 
gorgeous, the foliage presenting every 
variety of color. 

Menasha, 35 miles from Green Bay, ig 
situated on an expansion of the river, here 
called Lake Butte das Marts, where is a lock 
and a canal of about one mile in length. 
Here are several large manufacturing es- 
tablishments, and a population of about 
2,600. 

Xeenah, lying at the foot of Lake Win- 
nebago, on the west shore, is a flourishing 
village, of about 2,500 inhabitants. 

Lake Winnebago is a most beautiful 
sheet of water, being 32 miles long and 
about 12 miles wide, with bold land on 
the east shore, while on the west it seems 
elevated but a few feet above the waters 
of the lake. It abounds with several va- 
rieties offish, of a fine flavor, affording rare 
sport to the angler. Steamers run through 
the Upper Fox or Wolf River, emptying in- 
to the lake at Oshkosh, for upwards of 100 
miles, bringing down immense quantities 
of lumber and agricultural products. 

The City of Oshkosh, lying on the west 
side of Lake Winnebago, 20 miles north of 
Fond du Lac, is a large and flourishing 
place, being favorably situated at the mouth 
of Fox River on both sides of the stream. 
It now contains an active population of 
about 9,000 inhabitants. From its wharves 
steamers run to all the ports on the lake 
and Fox River, while the Chicago and 
Northwestern Railway extends northward 
to Green Bay. It contains the county 
buildings, 10 churches, several well-kept 
hotels, 100 stores of different kinds, be- 
sides steam grist-mills, steam saw-mills, 



ROUTE FROM GREEN BAY TO FOND DU LAC, WIS. 



'9 



iron foundries, cabinet-shops, and a great 
number of other manufacturing establish- 
ments. This is a great mart for lumber, 
being brought down the Fox or Wolf 
River for upwards of 100 miles, this stream 
flowing through a fine pine region of coun- 
try, for which northern Wisconsin is justly 
celebrated. 

Fond Du Lac, capital of Fond du Lac 
County, is a flourishing city favorably situ- 
at(id at the head of Lake Winnebago, 87 
miles N. N. W. from Milwaukee, and 176 
miles from Chicago, by the Chicago and 
Nurthwtstern Railway, now finished through 
to Green Bay, a total distance of 242 miles. 
Here are located the county buildings, 8 
churches, 4 banks, 6 public-houses, 100 
stores of different kinds, a steam grist- 
mill, 10 steam saw-mills, a steam car fac- 
tory, steam-engine manufactory, machine- 
shops, and various other manufacturing 
establishments. The lumber and produce 
business is very extensively carried on 
here, affording profitable returns. Fond du 
Lac is celebrated for its fountains, water 
being found of a pure quality by means of 
Artesian Wells, in which the city abounds. 

The Foz Rivtr Improvement is a work 
of great magnitude, affording by means of 
locks and dams a water communication 
from Green Bay to Lake Winnebago, and 



thenco south-westward through the Upper 
Fox river to Portage City, where, by mouna 
of a canal, it interlocks with the Wis- 
consin River, falling into the Mississippi at 
Prairie du Chien. 

This enterprise is thus graphically de- 
scribed : 

" ' Meeting of the Waters.' — A gen- 
tleman, recently from Green Bay, men- 
tioned a curious fact a day or two since, 
illustrative of the results of the completion 
of the River Improvement. He saw lying 
at the docks in that place the steamer 
Appleton Belle, built at Pittsburgh, and the 
steamer Gurdon Grant, built at Philadel- 
phia — points on opposite sides of the Alle- 
ghany Mountains, and on waters flowing on 
the one hand to the Atlantic, and on the 
other to the Mississippi and Gulf of Mexico. 
The Belle had sailed northward and west- 
ward through the Ohio, Mississippi, and 
Wisconsin ; and the Grant in a contrary 
direction through the Delaware and Hud- 
son, along the Erie Canal, and the chain of 
the Great Lakes. These are the victories 
of commerce, in which Wisconsin is play- 
ing a prominent part." 

The Trip from Chicago to Mackinac, 
etc., connecting at the latter place with the 
Green Bay route, is fully described in 
another part of this work. 



Ports of Lake Michigan situated on the East and South Shores* 



in irhis^aii City, Ind., situated at the 
extreme south end of Lake Michigan, is dis- 
Xmm 45 miles from Chicago by water, and 
'J 2 8 miles froni Detroit by railroad route. 
The New Albany and Salem Railroad, 228 
miles in length, terminates at this place, 
connecting with the Michigan Central 
Railroad. Several plank roads also ter- 
minate here, aftbrding facilities for cross- 
ing the extensive prairies lying in the 
rear. Here are several large storehouses 
situated at the mouth of trail Creek, in- 



tended for the storage and shipment of 
wheat and other produce ; 15 or 20 stores 
of different kinds, several hotels, and a 
branch of the State Bank of Indiana. It 
was first settled in 1831, with the expec- 
tation that it would become a great em- 
porium of trade ; but owing to the want 
of a good harbor, and the rapid increase 
of Cliicago, the expectations of its founders 
have not been realized. It now contains 
about 3,000 inhabitants, and is steadily 
increasing in wealth and numbers. 



80 



TRIP THROUGH THE LAKES. 



New Buffalo, Mich., lying 50 miles 
east ofChicago by steamboat route, is situ- 
ated on the line of the Michigan Central 
Raihoad, 218 miles west of Detroit. Here 
have been erected a light-house and pier, 
the latter aflbrding a good landing for 
steamers and lake craft. The settlement 
contains two or three hundred inhabi- 
tants, and several stores and storehouses. 
It is surrounded by a light, sandy soil, 
which abounds all along the east and 
south shores of Lake Michigan. 

St. Joseph, Berrien Co., Mich., is ad- 
vantageously situated on the east shore 
of Lake Michigan, at the moutli of St. 
Joseph River, 194 miles west of Detroit. 
Here is a good harbor, aflbrding about 10 
feet of water. The village contains about 
1,000 inhabitants, and a number of stores 
and storehouses. An active trade in 
lumber, grain, and fruit is carried on at 
this place, mostly with the Chicago 
market, it being distant about 70 miles 
by water. Steamers of a small class run 
from St. Joseph to Niles and Constantine, 
a distance of 120 miles, to which place the 
St. Joseph River is navigable. 

St. Joseph River rises in the southern 
portion of Michigan and Northern Indiana, 
and is about 250 miles long. Its general 
course is nearly westward; is very ser- 
pentine, with an equable current, and 
flowing through a fertile section of coun- 
try, celebrated alike for the raising of 
grain and different kinds of fruit. There 
are to be found several flourishing villages 
on its banks. The principal are Constan- 
tine, Elkhart, South Bend, and Niles. 

Niles, situated on St. Joseph River, is 
26 miles above its mouth by land, and 191 
miles from Detroit by railroad route. 
This is a flourishing village, containing 
abort 3,000 inhabitants, five churches, 
three hotels, several large stores and 
flouring mills; the country around pro- 
ducing large quantities of wheat and other 
kinds of grain. A small class of steamers 
run to St. Joseph below and other places 



above, on the river, affording great facil- 
ities to trade in this section of country. 

South Havex, Yan Buren Co., lies at 
the mouth of Black River. 

Naples, Allegan Co., hes on the east 
side of Lake Michigan, near the mouth of 
the Kalamazoo River. 

Amsterdam, Ottawa Co., is a small vil- 
lage lying near the Lake shore, about 20 
miles south of Grand Haven. 

Holland, situated on Black Lake, a few 
miles above Amsterdam, is a thriving 
town, settled mostly by Hollanders. Here 
is a good and spacious harbor. 

The counties of Berrien, Cass, Van Bu- 
ren, Kalamazoo, Allegan, Kent, and Ot- 
tawa are all celebrated as a fruit-bearing 
region. 

The Ports extending from Grand Haven 
to Saginaw Bay are fully described in 
another portion of this work, as well as 
the bays and rivers falling into Lakes 
Michigan and Huron. 



Chicagpo, " The Garden City," is 
advantageously situated on the west side 
of Lake Michigan, at the mouth of Chica- 
go River, in N. lat. 41° 52', and "W. long, 
from Greenwich 87° 35'. It is elevated 
eight to ten feet above the lake, which 
secures it from ordinary floods, and ex- 
tends westward on both sides of the river, 
about two miles distant from its entrance 
into Lake Michigan, the front on the lake 
being three or four miles from north to 
south. The harbor has a depth of from 
twelve to fourteen feet of water, which 
makes it a commodious and safe haven ; 
and it has been much improved artificially 
by the construction of piers, which extend 
on each side of the entrance of the river 
for some distance into the lake, to prevent 
the accumulation of sand upon the bar. 
The light-house is on the south side of the 
harbor, and shows a fixed light on a tower 
fort}'- feet above the surface of the lake ; 



PORTS OF LAKE MICHIGAN EAST AND SOUTH SHORE. 



81 



there is also a beacon light on the end of 
the pier. In a naval and military point 
of view, this is one of the most important 
ports on the upper lakes, and should be 
strongly defended, it being the " Odessa'^ 
of tliese inland seas. 

The city contains an United States 
o*.istom-ho\ise and post-office building, a 
court-house and jail, the county buildings, 
Paish Medical College, a commorciai col- 
lege, a marine ho^spital, market-houses, 
« ighty churches, eight banks, several tire 
r.nd marine insurance companies, and a 
number of large public houses ; gas-works, 
and water-works. The manufacturing 
establishments of Chicago are numerous 
and extensive, consisting of iron-foundries 
and machine-shops, railroad car manufac- 
tory, steam saw, planing, and flouring 
mills, manufactories of agricultural imple- 
ments, etc. Numerous steamers and pro- 
pellers ply between this place and Saut 
Ste. Marie, Lake Superior ports, Colling- 
wood, Goderich, Detroit, Bufifaio, and the 
various intermediate ports. Population in 
18G0, 109,260, and is rapidly increasing in 
numbers and wealth. 

Tlie principal hotels are the A&xms 
House, Briggs House^ Lake House^ Sherman 
Uouse, and the Tremont House, besides 
many other public-houses of less note. 
Chicago also boasts of several benevolent 
and charitable institutions, educational 
and medical ; also hospitals and dispensa- 
ries. Its commerce is already immense, 
and -apidly increasing. 



The proposed Sinp Canal will connect 
the waters of ihe Mississippi with tho 
River St. Lawrence, the v.aters of which 
here almost comming iv aud no doubt are 
destined to be wedded, and to flow ia 
unison from the cold waters of the Gulf 
of St. Lawrence to the v.arm waters of 
the Gulf of Mexico, carrying on their tide 
the rich products of the tropics, the ce- 
reals of the temperate zone, and the tim- 
ber and other valuable commodities of the 
colder region of the American continent. 

"Chicago, when fairly understood, in a 
commercial, climatic, and favored point of 
view, as regards water and land commimi- 
cation, has probably no equal on the face 
of the globe. Standing near the southern 
border of one of tlie Ave great Lakes of 
America, affording four or five thousand 
miles of inland ship navigation, and by 
means of the Erie Canal of New York, 
favored by an outport on the Atlantic 
ocean, it only now wants a Sldj) Canal to 
the Mississippi River to give it an outport 
on the Gulf of Mexico. 

"As to Railroad facilities, no adequate 
idea can be conveyed, — the iron bars 
already extend to Montreal, Quebec, and 
Portland on the northeast ; to Boston, New 
York, &c., on the east ; to Charleston and 
Savannah on the southeast, and to Mo- 
bile and New Orleans on the south — 
being, ere long, no doubt destined to have 
railroad facilities with other cities to the 
Gold Regions and the Pacific ocean on the 
west ; while northward a railroad line is 
finished to Green Bay, Wisconsin, and 
another line nearly completed to St. Paul, ■ 
Minnesota. 

" Look at a map of the United States 
and Canada, and see lier favored position 
near tlie centre of the temperate zone; 
while east and west she hes centrally 
between the Atlantic and eastern slope 
of the Rocky Mountains. By nature she 
claims pre-erainenoc as a great inland city- 
Give her tho boon she asks at this time, 
i and the w5i£>le Republic will be benefited. 



83 



TRIP THROUGH THE LAKES. 



faasmnch as it will afford facilities to the 
far West, and the eastern portions of our 
■wide-extended country. Like the Erie 
canal, it will even tend to lessen the price 
of provisions in foreign markets, and at 
the same time strengthen and enrich our 
own people, North and South, notwith- 
standing the latter are now in open rebel- 
lion." 

"A late writer remarks, 'Chicago is 
most emphatically the city of the West; 
for when any town can justly claim to be 
the greatest market for grain, beef, pork, 
and lumber in the world, then we may 
confidently believe that all else that en- 
ters into the composition of a great city 
will gather there to build up, if not the 
greatest, one of the most important cities 
of the continent.' " 

The Illinois and Michigan Canal, con- 
necting Lake Michigan with Illinois Eiv- 
er, which is sixty feet wide at the top, 6 
feet deep, and 107 miles in length, includ- 
ing five miles of river navigation, termi- 
nates here, through which is brought a 
large amount of produce from the south 
and southwest; and the numerous rail- 
roads radiating from Chicago add to the 
vast accumulation which is here shipped 
for the Atlantic sea-board. Chicago being 
within a short distance of the most exten- 
sive coal-fields to be found in Illinois and 
the pineries of Michigan and Wisconsin, 
as well as surrounded by the finest grain 
region on the face of the globe, makes it 
the natural outlet for the varied and rich 
produce of an immense section of fertile 
country. 
1 The Great Lake Tunnel at Chicago, for 
the supply of pure water, has already 
been nearly finished. 



4. Chicago. Fvlton, a-nd 7(?if a (finished) 249 

5. CJiicaf/o and North-Western (Chicago to 

Green Bay)... 242 

6. Chiciigo and JliluavAee 85 

7. Cinciyinati and Chicario Air Line 280 

8. GaleiKt and Chicago Union* (Chicago to 

Freeport) 121 

9. Jllinoifi Centiali (Chicago to Cairo) 365 

10. Michigan Ce^Hral (Detroit to Chicago). . .284 

11. Michigan Southern and Northern Indi- 

ana (Chicago to Toledo, Ohio) 243 

12. Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne, and Chicago.. AGS 

* This road connects with the Illinois Central 
Railroad, running uestward to Dunleith, oppo- 
site Du Buque, Iowa. 
t Illinois Central Railroad and its Branches: 

Cairo to Lasalle, Main Line 308 MileSw 

Lasalle to Dunleith, Galena Branch 147 "• 

Chicago to Centralia, Chicago Branch.. 267 " 

Total length 722 Milea 



RAILROADS DIVERGING PROM CHICAGO. 

Miles. 

1. Chicago, Alton, and St. Louis Hailroad. 2S1 

2. Chicago, Burlington, and Quincy 268 

8. Chicago and Eock Island 182 



Distance§ from Chicago to 
Mackinac. 

Bunning along the West Sliore of Lake 
Michigan. 

Ports. Miles- 

Chicago to "Waukegan, III 35 

Kenosha, Wis 16 51 

liacine, Wis 11 62 

Milwaukee, Wis 23 8^" 

Fort Washington, Wis 25 110 

Sheboygan, Wis 25 135 

Manitowoc, W^is 3t) 165 

Two Rivers, Wis 7 172 

Kewaunee, Wis 22 194 

Anheepee, Wis 11 205 

Bayleys Harbor 85 240 

Death's Door 20 260 

(To Green Bav 80 miles.) 

"Washington Harbor, Mich 13 273 

Eock Island, Mich 7 280 

Beaver Island, Mich 67 34T 

Pt. Waucoshance, Mich SO 377 

Old Mackinac, Mich 15 392 

Mackinac, Mich 8 400 

Mackinac to De Tour Passage 3f 

De Tour to Saut Ste. Marie 56 

Mackinac to St. Clair Kiver (Fort Gratiot) 240 

Fort Gratiot to Detroit 60 

Fort Gratiot to Saginaw City 150 

Fort Gratiot to Goderich, C. W 60 



NAVAL VESSELS ON THE LAKES. 



83 



NAVAL VESSELS ON THE LAKES. 



Mississippi and Lake Michigan Canal. 



A Report has recently been made in 
relation to the practicability, cost, and 
military and commercial advantages of 
opening a passage for gunboats and 
armed vessels from the Mississippi to the 
Lakes, by improving the navigation of the 
Illinois River, and enlarging the Illinois 
and Michigan Canal. The following is 
an extract from the above Report : 

" The Great Lakes and the Mississippi 
River are among the grandest features of 
the geography of the globe. Their names 
are at once suggestive of commercial and 
agricultural wealth and national great- 
ness. No such systems of internal navi- 
gation exist elsewhere in the world. 
Tlie most careful and accurate statements 
of their present uses for commercial pur- 
poses are truly wonderful, while the mag- 
nificent future to which enlightened 
enterprise may lead, tasks the strongest 
imagination. 

" The Mississippi system of navigable 
waters is variously estimated at from 
10,000 to 20,000 miles. Its numerous 
ramifications penetrate a country of un- 
rivalled fertility, and in many parts abound- 
ing in useful metals. On the Lakes, we 
have a coast of 3,500 miles. Their com- 
merce is estimated at the value of $400, 
000,000, 'in articles of prime necessity 
to the inhabitants of the Eastern States, 
and to our foreign commerce.' That of 
the Mississippi, in peaceful times, is sup- 
posed to equal this. It is the union of 
these two mighty systems that we con- 
template in the proposed improvement. 

"For this purpose no other route exists 
comparable to the line now proposed, in 
the economy of cost of the improvement, 
or in general utility. It is one of nature's 
highways — one of the hues which she 



marks out for the guidance of the great 
emigrant movements of the race, and by 
whicli topography foretells the march of 
empire. Tlie aboriginal savage travelled 
it by instinct, and now educated intelli- 
gence can find no better place for com- 
pleting and uniting linos of travel and 
traffic embracing half a continent." 

Estimate for a Ship and Steamboat Canal 
from Lake Michigan to the IDinois River, 
and the improvement of the Illinois River 
to the Mississippi River ; the canal to be 
160 feet wide on the bottom, sides pro- 
tected with stone walls 10 feet high; the 
canal and river locks to be 350 feet long 
and TO feet wide, with depth of water 
sufficient to pass steamboats and vessels 
drawing six feet of water ; the canal to 
be supplied with water from Lake Michi- 
gan. 

Chicago to Lockport, 29 miles. 
The estimated cost of earth and rock 
excavation on the summit level from 
Ohicaco to Lockport, with walls on 
both sides 10 feet through the earth, 

is ." $7,092,700 

Lockport to Lasalle, 67 miles : 
The e.stimated cost of canal to Lake 
Joliet, and short canals at 16 locks, 
walled on both -sides ; also six stone 
dams, 600 feet lonir, eleven canal and 
five river locks, each 850 feet lonj,' and 
70 feet wide — mukin!,' loSfeet o! lock- 
ape between Lockport and Las.dle — is 4,081,008 
Lasalle to the MississipiH liiver, 220 
miles: 
The cost of seven tree and crib dams, 
900 feet Ion?, the cribs to be filled 
with stone, and stone abutments; also 
seven stone locks. 850 feet long, and 
70 feet wide, with entrances pro- 
tected, and insuring a depth of water 
on all bars, to jjass tlie largest class 
st»'ambnats and vessels drawing six 

feet, will be :. . . . 1,&45,000 

Add for bridges, riglit of way, engineer- 
ing, contingencies, »fec 578,032 

Total $13,8W,S24 



84 



TRIP TimOUGII THE LAKE". 



U. S. Naval Yessels on Lake Erie, 
1812 TO 1815. 
Class. Guns. Where built, <fec.Date. 



Amelia, 

Ariel, 

Caledonia, 

Sc()r[)i()n, 

Somers, 

Trippe. 

Ti;jrress, 

Lawrence, 

^Niagara, 

Ohia 

Porcupine, 

GHent, 



schooner 

brig 
schooner 

sloop 
schooner 
brig 

schooiier 



1 
4- 
if 

2 

2 

1 

1 
20 
20 

1 

1 

1 



Erie, Pa. 
Purchased 
Captured 
Purchased 



Erie, Pa. 



1S12 
1812 
1812 
1812 
1S12 
1S12 
1812 
1813 
1813 
1813 
1813 
1815 



Total Guns, 57 



Note. — At the conclusion of the war 
with Great Britain, this squadron, with 
the exception of two small vessels, and 
the prizes captured by the above fleet, 
under Com. Perry, Sept. 10, ISl.'i, were 
dismantled and laid up at Erie, Peuu., and 
all subsequently condemned and sold, 
some having been sunk, with a view to 
their better preservation. 

In 1844, the U. S. steamer Michigan, 
583 tons, was built at Erie, Pa., and is 
now in commission on the Upper Lakes. 




On starting from the steamboat wharf 
near the mouth of the Chicago River, the 
Marine Hospital and depot of the Illinois 
Central Railroad are passed on the right, 
while the Lake House and lumber-yards 
are seen on the left or north side of the 
stream. The government piers, long 
wooden structures, afford a good entrance 
to the harbor; a light-house has been 
constructed on the outer end of the north 
pier, to guide vessels to the port. 

The basin completed by the Illinois 
Central Railroad to facilitate commerce is 
a substantial work, extending southward 
for nearly half a mile. It affords ample 
accommodation for loading and unloading 
vessels, and transferring the freight to 
and from the railroad cars. 

The number of steamers, propellers, 
and sailing vessels annually arriving and 
departing from the harbor of Chicago is 



fine 



ROUTE FROM CHICAGO TO MACKINAC AND SAUT STE, MARIE. 

very great ; the carrying trade being 
destined to increase in proportionate 
ratio with the population and wealth 
pouring into this favored section of 
the Union. 

On reaching the green waters of 
Lake Michigan, the city of Chicago 
is seen stretching along the shore 
for four or five miles, presenting a 
appearance from the deck of the 
steamer. The entrance to the harbor at 
the bar is about 200 feet \\\&q. The bar 
has from ten to twelve feet water, the 
lake being subject to about two feet rise 
and fall. The steamers bound for Mil- 
waukee and the northern ports usually 
rup along the west shore of the lake with- 
in sight of land, the banks rising from 
thirty to fifty feet above the water. 

I(AKE Michigan is about seventy miles 
average width, and 340 miles in extent 
from Michigan City. Ind., on the south, to 
the Strait of Mackinac on the north ; it 
presents a great expanse of water, now 
traversed by steamers and other vessels 
of a large class, running to the Saut Ste. 
Marie and Lake Superior ; to Collingwood 
and Goderich, Can. ; to Detroit, MicJi. ; to 
Cleveland, Ohio, and to Buffalo, N. Y. 
From Chicago to Buffalo the distance is 
about 1,000 miles by water; while from 



ROUTE FROM CHICAGO TO MACKINAC AND SAUT STE. MARIE. 



85 



Chicago to Superior City, at the head of 
Lake Superior, or Fond du Lac, tlie dis- 
tance is about the same, thus affording 
two excursions of l.OUU miles each, over 
three of the great lakes or inland seas of 
America, in steamers of from 1,000 to 
2,000 tons burden. During the summer 
and early autumn months the waters of 
this lake are comparatively calm, atford- 
ing safe navigation. But late in the year, 
and during the winter and early spring 
montlis, the navigation of this and the 
other great lakes is very dangerous, 

AVaukegan, Lake Co., 111., 36 miles 
north of Chicago, is handsomely situated 
on elevated ground, gradually rising to 50 
or GO feet above the water. Here are 
two piers, a light-house, several large 
storehouses, and a neat and thriving town 
containing about 5,000 inhabitants, six 
churches, a bank, several well-kept hotels, 
thirty stores, and two steam-flouring 
mills. 

Kenosha, Wis., 52 miles from Chicago, 
is elevated 30 or 40 feet above the lake. 
Here are a small harbor, a light-house, 
storehouses, mills, etc. The town has a 
population of about 6,000 inhabitants, 
surrounded by a fine back country. Here 
is a good hotel, a bank, several churches, 
and a number of stores and manufactur- 
ing estabhshments doing a large amount 
of business. The Kenosha and Rockford 
Railroad, 73 miles, connects at the latter 
place with a railroad running to Madison, 
the capital of the State, and also to the 
Mississippi River. 

The City of Racine, Wis., 62 miles from 
Chicago and 23 miles south of Milwaukee, 
is built on an elevation some forty or 
fifty feet above the surface of the lake. 
It is a beautiful and flourishing place. 
Here are a hght-house, piers, storehouses, 
etc., situated near the water, while the 
city contains some fine public buildings 
and private residences. The population 
is about 10,000, and is rapidly increasing. 
Racine is the second city in the State in 



commerce and population, and possesses 
a fine harbor. Here are located the 
county buildings, fourteen churciies, seve- 
ral hotels, Coujresfi Hall being tlae largest ; 
elevators, warehouses, and numerous 
stores of different kinds. 

The Rtuune and Mississippi Railroad ex- 
tends from tliis place to the Mississippi 
River at Savanna, 142 miles. The Chica- 
go and Milwaukee Railroad also runa 
through the town, near the Lake Shore. 




MILWAITKEB HABBOB. 

Milwaukee, " The Cream City," 
86 miles from Chicago, by railroad and 
steamboat route, is handsomely situated 
on rising ground on both sides of the Mil- 
waukee River, at its entrance into Lake 
Michigan. In front of the city is a bay or. 
indentation of the lake, affording a good 
harbor, except in strong easterly gales. 
The harbor is now being improved, and will 
doubtless be rendered secure at aU times 
of the season. The river affords an ex- 
tensive water-power, capable of giving 
motion to machinery of almost any re- 
quired amount. The city is built upon 



86 



TRIP THROUGH THE LAKES. 



beautiful slopes, descending toward the 
river and lake. It has a United States 
Custom House and Post-Office building; 
a court house, city hall, a United States 
land-office, the tjniversity Institute, a 
college for females, three academies, three 
orphan asylums, forty-five churches, sev- 
eral well-kept hotels, the Newliall House 
and the Walker House being the most 
frequented; seven banks, six insurance 
companies, a Chamber of Commerce, ele- 
vators, extensive ranges of stores, and 
several large manufacturing establish- 
ments. The city is lighted with gas, and 
well supplied with good water. Its ex- 
ports of lumber, agricultural produce, etc. 
are immense, giving profitable employment 
to a large number of steamers and other 
lake craft, running to different ports on 
the Upper Lakes, Detroit, Buffalo, etc. 
The growth of this city has been aston- 
ishing ; twenty years since its site was a 
wilderness; now it contains over 50,000 
inhabitants, and of a class inferior to no 
section of the Union for intelhgence, so- 
briety, and industry. 

The future of Milwaukee it is hard to 
predict; here are centring numerous rail- 
roads finislied and in course of construc- 
tion, extending south to Chicago, west to 
the Mississippi River, and north to Lake 
Superior, which, in connection with the 
Detroit and Milwaukee Railroad, termin- 
ating at Grand Haven, 85 miles distant by 
water, and the lines of steamers running 
to this port, wiU altogether give an im- 
petus to this favored city, blessed with a 
good climate and soil, which the future 
alone can reveal. 

During the past few years an unusual 
number of fine buildings have been erected, 
and the commerce of the port has amount- 
ed to $60, 000, 000. The bay of Milwaukee 
ofl'ers the best advantages for the con- 
struction of a harbor of refuge of any 
point on Lake Michigan. The city has ex- 
pended over $100,000 in the construction 
of a harbor: this needs extension and 



completion, which wiU no doubt be 
effected. 

The approach to Milwaukee harbor by 
water is very imposing, lying between 
two headlands covered with rich foliage, 
and dotted with residences indicating 
comfort and refinement not to be exceed- 
ed on the banks of the Hudson or any 
other body of water in the land. This 
city, no doubt, is destined to become 
the favored residence of opulent families, 
wlio are fond of congregating in favored 
localities. 

The Granaries op Minnesota and 
Wisconsin. — The La Crosse Democrat 
speaks as follows of the great strides of 
agriculture in a region which ten years 
ago was a wilderness. It says: 

"We begin to think that the granaries 
of Minnesota and Northwestern Wiscon- 
sin will never give out; there is no end 
to the amount, judging from the heavy 
loads the steamers continually land at 
the depot of the La Crosse and Milwaukee 
Railroad. Where does it all come from? 
is the frequent inquiry of people. We 
can hardly teU. It seems impossible that 
there can be much more left, yet steam- 
boat men tell us that the grain is not 
near aU hauled to the shipping points 
on the river. What will this country be 
ten years hence, at this rate? Imagine 
the amount of transportation that Avill be- 
come necessary to carry the produce of 
the upper country to market. It is hard 
to state what will be the amount of ship- 
ments of grain this season (1863), but it 
will be weU into the millions." 



Railroads running from Milwaukee. 

Detroit and Milvxmkee (Grand Haven 
to Detroit, 189 miles), connecting with 
steamers on Lake Michigan. 

La Crosse and Milwaukee, 200 miles, 
connecting witli steamers on the Upper 
Mississippi. 



FROM CHICAGO TO MACKINAC AND SAUT STE. MARIE, 



87 



Milwaukee and Prairie du Chien^ 192 
Tiiles, coiinecting with steamers on the 
Mississippi River. 

Milwaukee and Uoricoii, 93 miles. 

Milwaukee and Wesl^ern, 11 miles. 

Milwaukee and CUiaiijo, 85 miles; also, 
the River and Lake Shore City Raihvyy, 
running from the entrance of the harbor 
to difiereut parts of the city. 

Port Washington, Ozaukee Co., Wis., 
25 miles nurth of Milwaukee, is a fleur- 
ishing place, and capital of the county. 
The village contains, besides the public 
buildings, several churches and hotels, 
twelve stores, three mills, an iron found- 
ry, two breweries, and other manufac- 
tories. The population is about 2,500. 
Here is a good steamboat landing, from 
which large quantities of produce are an- 
nually shipped to Chicago and other lake 
ports. 

Sheboygan, Wis., 50 miles north of 
Milwaukee and 130 milos from Chicago, 
is a thriving place, containing about 6,0^0 
inhabitants. Here are seven churches, 
several publie-liouses and stores, together 
with a light-house aad piers ; the harbor 
being improved by government works. 
Large quantities ef lumber and agricul- 
tural produots >are shipped from this port. 
The country in the interior is fast set- 
tling with agriculturists, the soil and cli- 
mate being good. A railroad nearly com- 
pleted runs from this place to Fond du 
Lac, 42 miles west, lying at the head of 
Lake Winnebago. 

Maniiouwoc, Wis., 70 mQes north of 
Milwaukee and 33 miles east from Green 
Bay, is an important shipping port. It 
contains about 2,500 inhabitants; five 
churches, several public-houses, twelve 
stores, besides several storehouses ; three 
€team saw-mills, two ship-yards, light- 
house, aad pier. Large quantities of lum- 
ber are annually shipped from this port. 
The harbor is being improved so as to af- 
ford a refuge for vessels during stormy 
weather. 



" Manitouwoc is the most northern of 
the hai bors of Lake Michigan improved by 
the United States government. It de- 
rives additional impf)rtance from the fact 
that, when completed, it will afford the 
first point of refuge from storms for ship- 
ping bound from any of the other great 
lakes to this, or to the most southern ports 
of Lake Micliigan." 

Two Rivers, Wis., seven miles north 
from Manitouwoc, is a new and thriving 
place at the entrance of the conjoined 
streams (from which the place takes its 
name) into Lake Michigan. Two piers 
are here erected, one on each side of the 
river- also a ship-yard, an extensive 
leather manufacturing company, chair and 
pail factory, and three steam saw-miUs. 
The village contains about 2,000 inhabi- 
tants. 

Kewaunee, Wis., 25 miles north of Two 
Rivers and 102 miles from Milwaukee, is 
a small shipping town, where are situated 
several saw-mills and lumber establish- 
ments. Green Bay is situated about 25 
miles due west from this place. 

Ahneepee, 12 miles north of Kewaunee, 
is a lumbering village, situated at the 
mouth of Ahneepee, containing about 
1,000 inhabitants. The back country here 
assumes a wild appearance, the forest 
trees being mostly pine and hemlock. 

Gibraltar, or Bailey's Harbor, is a 
good natural port of refuge for sailing 
craft when overtaken by storms. Here is 
a settlement of some 400 or 500 inhabi- 
tants, mostly being engaged in fishing and 
lumbering. 

Port des Morts or Death's Door, the 
entrance to Green Bay, is passed 20 miles 
north of Bailey's Harbor, Detroit Island 
lying to the northward, 

Pottowatumee, or Washington Isl- 
and, is a fine body of land attached to 
the State of Michigan ; also. Rock Island, 
situated a short distance to the north. 
{See route to Green Bay, &c.). 



88 



TRIP THROUGH THE LAKES. 



On leaving Tiuo Rivers, tlio steamers 
passing through the Straits visually run 
for the Manitou Islands, Mich., a distance 
of about 100 miles. Soon after the last 
vestige of land sinks below the horizon 
on the west shore, the vision catches the 
dim outline of coast on the east or Michi- 
gan shore at Point aux Bee Scias, which 
is about 30 miles south of the Big Mani- 
tou Island. From this point, passing 
northward by Sleeping Bear Point, a sin- 
gular shaped headland looms up to the 
view. It is said to resemble a sleeping 
bear. The east shore of Lake Michigan 
presents a succession of high sand-banks 
for many miles, while inland are numer- 
ous small bays and lakes. 

Little, or South Manitou Island, 260 
miles from Chicago, and 110 miles from 
Mackinac, hes on the Michigan side of 
the lake, and is the first island encoun- 
tered on proceeding northward from Chi- 
cago. It rises abruptly on the west 
shore 2 or 300 feet from the water's edge, 
sloping toward the east shore, on which 
is a light-house and a fine harbor. Here 
steamers stop for wood. Big or North 
Manitou is nearly twice as large as the 
former island, and contains about 14,000 
acres of land. Both islands are settled 
by a few families, whose principal occu- 
pation is fishing and cutting wood for the 
use of steamers and sailing vessels. 

Fox Islands, 50 miles north from South 
Manitou, consist of three small islands 
lying near the middle of Lake Michigan, 
which is here about 60 miles wide. On 
the west is the entrance to Green Bay, 
on the ea-st is the entrance to Grand Trav 
erse Baj^, and immediately to the north is 
the entrance to Little Traverse Bay. 

Great and Little Beaver Islands 
lying about midway between the I^Ianitou 
Islands and Mackiuac. are large and fer 
tile bodies of land, formerly occupied by 
Mormons, who had here their most east' 
em settlement. 

Garden and HoG Islands are next pass 



ed before reaching the Strait of Mackinac^ 
which, opposite Old Fort Mackinac, is 
about six miles in width. The site of 
Old Fort Mackinac is on the south main 
or Michigan shore, directly opposite Point 
Ste. Ignace,on the north main shore. St. 
Helena Island lies at the entrance of the 
strait from the south, distant about fifteen 
miles from Mackinac. 

Old Fort Mackinac,* now called Mac- 
kinac City, is an important and interesting 
location ; it was formerly fortified and 
garrisoned for the protection of the strait 
and this section of country, when in- 
habited almost exclusively by various 
tribes of Indians. This place can be 
easily reached by sail-boat from the island 
of Mackinac. 

Pte. le Gros Cap, lying to the west 
of old Fort Mackinac, is a picturesque head- 
land well worthy of a visit. 

The Strait of Mackinac is from five 
to twenty miles in width, and extends 
east and west abor^; forty miles, embosom- 
ing several important islands besides 
Mackinac Island, the largest being Bois 
Blanc Island, lying near the head of 
Lake Huron. Between this island and 
the main north shore the steamer Garden 
City wa-s wrecked. May 16, 1854; her 
upper works were still visible from tlie 
deck of the passing steamer in the fall of 
the same year. 

Grosse Ile St. Martin and He St. 
Martin lie within the waters of the strait, 
eight or ten miles north of the island of 
Mackinac, In the neighborhood of these 
difierent islands are the favorite fishing- 
grounds both of the Indian and the " pale 
face." 

Mackinac, the Town and Fortress, is 
most beautifully situated on the east shore 
of the island, and extends for a distance 
of about one mile along the water's edge, 
and has a fine harbor protected by a 



* Settled by the French under Father Marquette 
in 1C70. 



FROM CHICAGO TO MACKINAC AND SAIT STE. MARIE. 



89^ 



<vater battery. This important island and 
fortress is situated in N. lat. 45"^ 54', W. 
Ion. 84"^ 30' from Grreenwich, being seven 
degrees thirty niinutos west from Wash- 
ington. It is 350 miles north from Chica- 
go, 100 miles south of Saut Sto. Marie by 
the steamboat route, and about 300 miles 
northwest from Detroit. Fort Mackinac, 
garrisoned by U. States troops, stands on 
elevated ground, about 200 feet above the 
water, overlooking the picturesque town 
and harbor below. In the rear, about 
half a mile distant stand the r uins of old 
Fort Holmes, situated on the highest point 
of land, at an elevation of 320 feet above 
the water, affording an extensive view. 

The town contains two churches, tive 
hotels, ten or twelve stores, 100 dwelling- 
houses, and about 700 inhabitants. The 
climate is remarkably healthy and delight- 
ful during the summer months, when this 
favored retreat is usually thronged with 
visitors from different parts of the Union, 
while the Indian warriors, their squaws and 
their children, are seen lingering around 
this their favorite island and tishing-ground. 
Tlie Island of Mackinac, lying in the 
Strait of Mackinac, is about three miles 
long and two miles wide. It contains 
many deeply interesting points of attrac- 
tion in addition to the village and fortress ; 
the prmcipal natural curiosities are known 
as the Arched Rock, Sugar Loaf, Lover's 
Leap, Devil's Kitclien, Robinson's Folly, 
and other objects of interest well worthy 



the attention of the tourist. The Mission 
Jloitse and Island House are the principal 
hotels, while there are several other good 
pubhc-houses for the accommodation of 
visitors. 

ISLAxNU OF Mackinac. — The view given 
represents the Island, approaching from 
the eastward. " A cliff of limestone, white 
and weather-beaten, with a narrow allu- 
vial plain skirting its base, is the first 
thing which commands attention;" but, 
on nearing the harbor, the village (2), 
with its many picturesque dwellings, and 
the fortress (3), perched near the summit 
of the Island, are gazed at with wonder 
and delight. The promontory on the left 
is called the "Lover's Leap" (1), skirted 
by a pebbly beach, extending to the 
village. On the right is seen a bold rocky 
precipice, called ^'- Rohinson^ s Folbf^ (5), 
while in the same direction is a singular 
peak of nature called the '' Sugar Loaf.'^ 
Still farther onward, the " Arched Rock.''^ 
and other interesting sights, meet the eye 
of the explorer, affording pleasure and de- 
light, particularly to the scientific traveller 
and lover of nature. On the highest 
ground, elevated 320 feet above the waters 
of the Strait, is the signal station (4), situ- 
ated near the ruins of old Fort Holmes. 

The settlement of this Island was com- 
menced in 1764. In 1793 it was surren- 
dered to the American government ; taken 
by the British in 1812; but restored by 
the treaty of Ghent, signed in Nov., 1814 




90 



TRIP THROUGH THE LAKES. 



The I^over'§ Lieap. — Mackinac 
Island. — The huge rock called the '* Lov- 
er's Leap," is situated about one mile west 
of the village of Mackinac. It is a high 
perpendicular bluff, 150 to 200 feet in 
height, rising boldly from the shore of the 
Lake. A solitary pine-tree formerly 
stood upon its brow, which some Vandal 
has cut down. 

Long before the pale faces profaned this 
island home of the Genii, Me-che-ne-mock- 
e-nung-o-qua, a young Ojibway girl, just 
maturing into womanhood, often wander- 
ed there, and gazed from its dizzy heights 
and witnessed the receding canoes of the 
large war parties of the combined bands 
of the Ojibways and Ottawas, speeding 
South, seeking for fame and scalps. 

It was there she often sat, mused, and 
hummed the songs Ge-niw-e-gwon loved ; 
this spot was endeared to her, for it was 
there that she and Ge-niw-e-gwon first 
met and exchanged words of love, and 
found an affinity of souls or spirits exist- 
ing between them. It was there she often 
sat and sang the Ojibway love song — 

" Mong-e-do-gwain, in-de-nain-dum, 
Mong-e-do-gwain, in-de-nain-duin ; 
Wain -shung-ish- ween, neen-e-ino-shane, 
Wain-shuDg-ish-ween, neen-e-mo-shane, 
A-nee-wau-wau-sau-bo-a-zode, 
A-nee-wuu-wau-sau-bo-a-zode." 

I give but one verse, which may be 
translated as follows : 

A loon. I thought was looming, 

A loon, I thought was looming; 

Why ! it is he, my lover, 

Why ! it is he, my lover. 

His paddle, in the waters gleaming. 

His paddle in the waters gleaming. 

From this bluff she often watched and 
listened for the return of the war parties, 
for amongst them she knew was Ge-niw-e- 
gwon ; his head decorated with war-eagle 
plumes, which none but a brave could 
sport. The west wind often wafted far 
in advance the shouts of victory and 
death, as they shouted and sang upon 
leaving Pe-quot-e-nong (old Mackinac), to 



make the traverse to the Spirit, or Fairie 
Island. 

One season, when the war party re- 
turned, she could not distinguish his fa- 
miliar and loved war-shout. Her thinking 
spirit, or soul (presentiment) told her that 
he had gone to the Spirit Land of the 
west. It was so, an enemy's arrow had 
pierced his breast, and after his body 
was placed leaning against a tree, his face 
fronting his enemies he died; but ere he 
died he wished the mourning warriors to 
remember him to the sweet maid of his 
heart. Thus he died far away from home 
and the friends he loved. 

Me-che-ne-mock-e-nung-o-qua' s heart 
hushed its beatings, and all the warm 
emotions of that heart were chilled and 
dead. The moving, living spirit or soul 
of her beloved Ge-niw-e-gwon she witnes- 
sed, continually beckoning her to follow 
him to the happy hunting grounds of 
spirits in the west — he appeared to her in 
humUn shape, but was invisible to others 
of his tribe. 

One morning her body was found man- 
gled at the foot of the bluff. The soul had 
thrown aside its covering of earth, and 
had gone to join the spirit of her beloved 
Ge-niw-e-gwon, to travel together to the 
land of spirits, realizing the glories and 
bliss of a future, eternal existence. 
Yours, &c., 
Wm. M. J****** 



ALTITUDE OF YARIOUS POINTS ON ISLAND 
OF MACKINAC. 

T 7.j.„„ Above Above 
LocaUUes. Lake Huron, the Sea. 

Lake Huron 000 fee t. 574 feet. 

Fort Mackinac 150 " 724 " 

Old Fort Holmes 315 " 889 " 

Kobinson's Folly 1'28 " 702 " 

Chimney Rock 131 " 705 • 

Top of Arched Rock 140 " 714 " 

Lovers Leap 145 " 719 « 

Summit of Sugar Loaf. . . . 2S4 " 868 " 

Principal Plateau of Mack- I ^gQ « ,,^ n 

inac Island ) 

Upper Plateau 800 " 874 " 

La Cloche Mountain. north K „,^ ^ ^ m,jA ^^ 

side Lake Huron, C. W. ] ^^^ ^'"* 



FROM CHICAGO TO MACKINAC AND SAUT STE. MARIE. 



91 



The wholo Island of Mackinac is deeply 
interesting to the scientific explorer, as 
well as to the seeker of health and pleas- 
ure. The following extract, illustrated by 
an engraving, is copied from "Foster 
and Wiiitxey's Geological ReporV of that 
region : 

" As particular examples of denuding 

action on the island, we would mention 

the 'Arched Rock' and the 'Sugar Loaf.' 

The former, situated on the eastern shore, 

is a feature of great interest. The cliffs 

here attain a height of nearly one hundred 

feet, while at the base are strewn numerous 

fragments which have fallen from above. 

The Archied Rock has been excavated in 

a projecting angle of the limestone cUff, 

and the top of the span is about ninety 

feet above the lake-level, surmounted by 

about ten feet of rock. At the base of a 

projecting angle, which rises up like a 

buttress, there is a small opening, through 

■which an explorer may pass to the main 

arch, where, after clambering over the 

steep slope of debris and the projecting 

edges of the strata, he reaches the brow 

of the cliff. 

"The beds forming the summit of the 
arch are cut off from direct connection 
with the main rock by a narrow gorge of 
no groat dppth. The portion supporting 
the arch on the north side, and the curve 
of the arch itself, are comparatively fra- 
gile, and cannot, for a long period, resist 
the action of rains and frosts, which, in 
this latitude, and on a rock thus consti- 
tuted, produce great ravages every season. 
The arch, which on one side now con- 
nects this abutment wath the main cliff, 
will soon be destroyed, as well as the 
abutment itself, and the whole be precipi- 
tated into the lake. 

"It is evident that the denuding action 
roducing sjoli an op3ning, with other 
attendant phenomena, could only have 
operated while near the Iovr] of a large 
body of water like the great lake itself; 
and we find a striking similarity between 



the denuding action of the water here in 
time past, and the same action as now 
manifested in the range of the Pictured 
Rocks on the shores of Lake Superior. 
As an interesting point in the scenery of 
this island, the Arched Rock attracts 
much attention, and in every respect is 
worthy of examination." {See Engraving.) 

Other picturesque objects of great in- 
terest,. besides those enumerated above, 
occur at every turn on roving about this 
enchanting island, where the pure, bra- 
cing air and clear waters afford a plea- 
surable sensation, difficult to be described 
unless visited and enjoyed. 

The bathing in the pure waters of the 
Strait at this place is truly delightful, 
affording health and vigor to the human 
frame. 



The Island of Mackinac. 

Romantic and Picturesque Appearance 
OP THE Island and Surrounding 
Country — Its Purity of Atmosphere 
— A Moonlight Excursion, &c., &c. 

"From -whose rocky turrets battled liish, 

Prospect immense spread out on all sides round; 

Lost now between the wtMkin and the main. 

Now walled with hills that slept above the storm, 

Most fits such a place for musinjj men ; 

Happiest, sometimes, when musing without aim." 

[POLLOK. 

In this Northern region. Nature has at 
last fully resumed her green dress. Flow- 
ers wild, but still beautiful, bloom and 
disappear in succession. Birds of various 
hues have returned to our groves, and 
welcome us as we trace these shady walks. 
" In all my wand'rings round this world 
of care," I have found no place wherein 
the climate, throughout the summer sea- 
son, seems to exercise on the human con 
stitution a more beneficial influence tlian 
on this Island. In other parts of this 
country and in Europe, the places of Resart 
are beautiful, indeed; but a certain op- 
pressiveness there at times pervades the 



92 



TRIP THROUGH THE LAKES. 



air, that a person even with the best 
health in the world, feels a lassitude creep- 
ing through his frame. Here, we seldom, 
if ever, experience such a feeling from this 
cause. For the western breeze even in 
the hottest days passing over this island, 
keeps the air cool, and, especially if proper 
exercise be taken by walking or riding, 
cue feels a bracing up, a certain buoyancy 
of spirits that is truly astonishing. 

Ye inhabitants of warm latitudes, who 
pant in cities for a breath of cool air, fly 
to this isle for comfort. Ye invaUd, this 
is the place in which to renovate your 
shattered constitution. The lovers of 
beautiful scenery or the curious in nature, 
and the artist, whose magic pencil de- 
lights to trace nature's lineaments, need 
not sigh for the sunny clime of Italy for 
subjects on which to feed the taste and 
imagination. 

This island is intersected by fine car- 
riage roads, shaded here and there by a 
young growth of beech, maple, and other 
trees. On the highest part of it, about 
300 feet, are the ruins of Old Fort Holmes. 
From this point of elevation, the scenery 
around is extensive and beautiful. In sight, 
are some localities connected with " the 
tales of the times of old," both of the sav- 
age and the civUized. Looking westward- 
ly, and at the distance of about four miles 
across an arm of Lake Huron, is Point St. 
Ignace, which is the southernmost point 
of land, of the greater portion of the Up- 
per Peninsula. Immediately south of it 
are the "Straits of Mackinac," which sep- 
aratmg the Northern and Southern Penin- 
sulas from each other, are about four 
miles wide. On the south shore, may stUl 
be seen traces of Old Fort Mackinac, which 
is well known in history as having been 
destroyed by Indians, in 1763, at the in- 
stigation of Pontiac, an Indian Chief. 
Turning our gaze southeastwardly, we see 
the picturesque "Round Island," as it 
were at our feet. And further on, is 
••Bois-Blanc Island," stretching away 



with its winding shores, far into LaKe 
Huron. Look to the east, and there 
stands this inland sea, apparently " bound- 
less and deep, "and "pure as th' expanse of 
heaven." Directly north from our place 
of observation, are the "Islands of St. 
Martin;" while beyond them in the Bay, 
are two large rivers — the Pine, and Carp 
Rivers. And lastly, casting our eyes to- 
wards the northwest, we see on the main 
land the two "Sitting Rabbits;" being 
two singular looking hills or rocks, and so 
called by the Indians from some resem- 
blance at a distance to rabbits in a sitting 
posture. As a whole, this scenery pre- 
sents, hills, points of land jutting into the 
lake, and "straits," bays, and islands. 
Here, the lake contracts itself into narrow 
channels, or straits, which at times are 
whitened by numerous sails of commerce; 
and there, it spreads itself away as far as 
the eye can reach. And, while contem- 
plating this scene, perhaps a dark column 
of smoke, like the Genii in the Arabian 
Tales, may be seen rising slowly out of 
the bosom of Lake Huron, announcmg 
tlie approach of the Genii of modern days, 
the Steamboat! Let us descend to the 
shore. 

It is evening! The sun, with all his 
glory has disappeared in tho west ; but 
the moon. sits in turn the arbitress of 
heaven. And now — 

" How sweet the moonlight sleeps upon this bank; 
Hero will we sit, and let the sounds of music 
Creep in our ears; soft stillness and the night, 
Becomes the touches of sweet harmony." 

Such a moonlight night I once enjoyed. 
The hum of day-life had gradually subsid- 
ed, and there was naught to disturb tho 
stillness of the hour, save the occasional 
laughter of those who lingered out in the 
open air. In tlie direction of the moon, 
and on the Lake before me, there was a 
broad road of light trembling upon its 
bosom. A few moments more, two small 
boats with sails up to catch the gentle 
breeze, were seen passing and re-passing 



FROM CHICAGO TO MACKINAC AND SAUT STE. MARIE. 



93 



this broad road of light. Then the vocal 
sonj,!^ was raised on the waters, and wo- 
man's voice was borne on moonlight beam 
to the listening ear in the remotest shades. 
The voices became clearer and stronger 
as the boats approached nearer; then, 
a<rain, dying away in the distance, seemed 
to be merged with tlie mellow rays of the 
moon. But let us leave poetry and fancy 
aside, and come to matters of fact, mat- 
ters of accommodation, prepared for those 
wlio may fovor our island with their visits 
this summer. 

There are several large hotels, with at- 
tentive hosts, ever ready to contribute to- 
wards the comforts of their visitors. Walk- 
ing, riding, fishing, shooting, and sailing 
can be here pursued with great benefit to 
health. We have billiard-rooms and bowl- 
ing-alleys; in the stores are found Indian 
curiosities ; and, perhaps, the Indians 
themselves, who resort to this island on 
business, may be curiosities to those who 
have never seen them ; they are the true 
"native Americans," the citizens of this 
North American Republic. 

Round Island is a small body of land 
lying a short distance southeast of Macki- 
nac, while Bois Blanc Island is a large 
body of land lying still farther in the dis- 
tance, in the Straits of Mackinac. 

St. Martin's Bay, and the waters con- 
tiguous, lying north of Mackinac, aflbrd 
fine fishing grounds, and are much re- 
sorted to- by visitors fond of aquatic sports. 
Great St. Martin's and Little St. Martin's 
Mauds are passed before entering the 
bay, and present a beautiful appearance. 

Carp and Pine rivers are two sraaU 
streams entering into St. Martin's Bay, 
affording an abundance of brook trout of 
a large size. From the head of the above 
bay to the foot of Lake Superior, is only 
about 30 miles in a northerly direction, 
passing through a wilderness section of 
country, sparsely inhabited by Indians, 
who have long made this region their 
favored hunting and fishing grounds. 



Point De Tour, 36 miles east from 
Mackinac, is the site of a light-house and 
settlement, at the entrance of St. Mary's 
River, which is here about half a mile in 
width; this passage is also called tho 
West Channel. At a distance of about 
two miles above the Point is a new set- 
tlement, where have been erected a steam- 
boat pier, a hotel, and several dwellings. 

Drummond Island, a large and impor- 
tant body of land belonging to the United 
States, is passed on the right, where are to 
be seen the ruins of an old fort erected 
by the British. On the left is the main- 
land of Northern Michigan. Ascending 
St. Mary's River, next is passed Round or 
Pipe Island, and other smaller islands 
on the right, presenting a beautiful ap- 
pearance, most of them belonging to the 
United States. 

St. Joseph I^and, 10 miles above 
Point de Tour, is a large and fertile island 
belonging to Canada. It is about 20 
miles long from east to west, and about 
15 miles broad, covered in part with a 
heavy growth of forest-trees. Here are 
seen the ruins of an old fort erected by the 
British, on a point of land commanding the 
channel of the river. 

Caultonville is a small settlement on 
the Michigan side of the river, 12 miles 
above the De Tour. Here is a steam saw- 
mill and a feAf" dweUiug-houses. 

Lime Island is a small body of land 
belonging to the United States, lying in 
the main channel of the river, about 12 
miles from its mouth. The channel here 
foims the boundary between the United 
States and Canada. 

Mud Lake, as it is called, owing to its 
waters being easily riled, is an expansion 
of the river, about five miles wide and ten > 
miles long, but not accurately delineated 
on iiny of the modern maps, which appear 
to be very deficient in regard to St. Mary's 
River and its many islands — presenting 
at several points most beautiful river 
scenery. In the St. Mary's River there 



94 



TRIP T KOUGH the LAKES. 



are about fifty islands belonging to the 
United States, besides several attached to 
Canada. 

Nebish Island, and Sailor^s Encamp- 
mertt, situated about half way from the 
Point to the Saut, are passed on the left 
while sailing througli the main channel. 

Sugar Island, a large body of fertile 
land belonging to the United States, is 
reached about 30 miles above Point de 
Tour, situated near the head of St. Joseph 
Island. On the right is passed the British 
or North Channel^ connecting on the east 
with Georgian Bay. Here are seen two 
small rock}' islands belonging to the Brit- 
ish Government, which command both 
channels of the river. 

The Nebish Rapids are next passed by 
the ascending vessel, the stream here run- 
ning about five knots per hour. The main- 
land of Canada is reached immediately 
above the rapids, being clothed with a 
dense growth of forest-trees of small size. 
To the north is a dreary wilderness, ex- 
tending through to Hudson Bay, as yet 
almost wholly unexplored and unknown, 
except to the Indian or Canadian hunter. 

Lake George, twenty miles below the 
Saut, is another expansion of the river, 
being about five miles wide and eight miles 
long. Here the channel is only from eight 
to ten feet in depth for about one mile, 
forming a great impediment to naviga- 
tion.* 

Church's Landing, on Sugar Island, 
twelve miles below the Saut, is a steam- 
boat landing; opposite it is Squirrel 
Island, belonging to the Canadians. This 
is a convenient landing, where are situated 
a store and dwelling. Tlie industrious 
occupants are noted for the making of 
raspherrtj jam, which is sold in large quan- 
tities, and shipped to Eastern and Southern 
markets. 

Garden River Settlement is an Indian 



• A new channel h.is been formed, by dredging, 
which gives a greater depth of water. 



village ten miles below the Saut, on the 
Canadian shore. Here are a missionary 
church and several dwellings, surrounded 
by grounds poorly cultivated, fishing and 
hunting being the main employment of 
the Chippewa Indians who inhabit this 
section of country. Both sides of the river 
abound in wild berries of good flavor, 
which are gathered in large quantities by 
the Indians, during the summer months. 

Extract from a letter dated Saut Ste 
Marie, Sept., 1854: 

"The scenery of the St. Mary's River 
seems to grow more attractive every year. 
There is a delicious freshness in the count- 
less evergreen islands that dot the river in 
every direction, from the Falls to Lake 
Huron, and I can imagine of no more 
tempting retreats from the dusty streets of 
towns, in summer, than these islands; I 
beheve the time will soon come when neat 
summer cottages will be scattered along 
the steamboat route on these charming 
islands. A summer could be delightfully 
spent in exploring for new scenery and in 
fishing and sailing in these waters. 

" And Mackinac, what an attractive little 
piece of terra firma is that island — half 
ancient, half modern ! The view from the 
fort is one of the finest in the world. 
Perched on the brink of a precipice some 
two hundred feet above the bay — one 
takes in at a glance from its walls the har- 
bor, with its numerous boats and the pretty 
village ; and the whole rests on one's vision 
more like a picture than a reality. Every 
thing on the island is a curiosity ; the 
roads or stieets that wind around the har- 
bor or among the grove-like forests of the 
island are naturally pebbled and macadam- 
ized; the buildings are of every st^'le, 
from an Indian lodge to a fine English 
house. The island is covered with chaini- 
ing natural scenery, from the pretty to the 
grand, and one may spend weeks con- 
stantly finding new objects of interest and 
new scenes of beauty. It is unnecessary 
to particularize — every visitor will find 



FROM CHICAGO TO MACKINAC AND SAUT STE. MARIE. 



95 



them, and enjoy the sight more than any 
description. 

" The steamers all call there, on their 
■vvay to and from Chicago, and hundreds of 
small sail vessels, in the tishing trade, 
have here their head-quarters. Drawn 
upon the pebbled beach or gliding about 
the little bay are bark canoes and the far- 
famed 'Mackinac boats,' without num- 
ber. These last are the perfection of 
light sail-boats, and I have often been 
astonished at seeing them far out in the 
lake, beating up against winds that were 
next to gales. Yesterday the harbor 
was thronged with sail boats and vessels of 



every description, among the rest were 
the only two iron steamers that the Uni- 
ted States have upon all the lakes, the 
'Michigan' and the 'Surveyor,' formerly 
called the ' Abert,' employed in the Coast 
Survey. 

"For a wonder. Lake Haron was calm 
and at rest for its entire length, and the 
steamer 'Northerner' made a beautiful 
and quick passage from Mackinac to this 
place. The weather continues .• aim and 
dry, and hundreds are regretting they 
have so early left the Saut and Mackinac, 
and we believe you will see crowds of 
visitors yet. Jay." 




the entrance. Potagannis' 
sivg Bay, dotted with nu- 
merous small islands, most- 
ly belonging to the United 
States, is seen lying to the 
eastward, communicating 
^■^^ with the North Chan- 
Mud Lake, 6 miles 



nel. 



^ St. Mary's River. 

By a careful examina- 
tion of the Government 
Charts of the Straits of 
Mackinac and River Ste. 
Marie, published in 1 857, it 
appears that the Point Be Tour Light- House 
is situated in 45° 57' N. Lat., being 36 
miles to the eastward of Fort Mackinac. 
The width of the De Tour passage is about 
one mile, with a depth of water of 100 
feet and upwards, although but 50 feet 
is 'found off" the light, as you run into 
Lake Huron. Drummond Island, attached 
to the United States, lies on the east, 
while the main shore of Michigan lies to 
the west of the entrance. Pipe Island, 
4 miles, is first passed on ascending the 
stream, and then Lime Island, 6 miles 
further. St. Joseph's Island, with its old 
fort, attached to Canada, lies 8 miles from I 



further, is next entered, having an ex- 
panse of about 4 miles in width, when 
Sailor's Encampment Island is reached, 
being 20 miles from Lake Huron. The 
head of St. Joseph's and part of Sugar 
Island are reached 26 miles northward 
from the De Tour, where diverges the 
Canadian or North Channel, running into 
the Georgian Bay; this channel is fol- 
lowed by the Canadian steamers. The 
Nebish Papids are next passed, and Lake 
George entered, 6 miles further, being 32 
miles from Lake Huron. This lake or ex- 
pansion of the river is 9 miles m length 
and 4 miles broad, affording 12 feet of 
water over the shoals and terminating at 
ChurcKs Landing, lying opposite Squir- 
rel Island, attached to Canada. Garden 
River Settlement, 3 miles, is an Indian 
town on the Canada side. Little Lake 
George is passed aiid Point Anx Pins 
reached, 3 miles further. From Little 



96 



TRIP THROUGH THE LAKES. 



Lake George to the Saut Ste. 3farie, pas- 
sing around the head of Sugar Island, is 
8 miles further, being 55 miles from Lake 
Huron. The Rapids, or Ship Canal, ex- 
tend for about t»ne mile, overcoming a fall 
of 20 feet, when a beautiful stretch of the 
river is next passed and Waiska Bay 
entered, 6 miles above the rapids; making 
the St. Mary's River 62 miles in length. 
The channel forming the boundar}^ line 
between Canada and the United States is 
followed by the ascending steamer from 
the lower end of St. Joseph's Island to 
Lake Superior, while a more direct pas- 
sage is afforded for vessels of light draught 
through Hay Lake, hing west of Sugar 
Island and entering Mud Lake. Notliing can 
be more charming than a trip over these 
■waters, when sailing to or from the 
Straits of Mackinac, thus having in view 
rich and varied lake and river scenerv, 
once the exclusive and favored abode of 
the red man of the forest, now fast pass- 
ing away before the march of civilization. 

§aiit Ste. Marie,* capital of Chip- 
pewa Co., Mich., is advantageously situated 
on St. Mary's River, or Strait, 350 miles 
N.N.W. of Detroit, and 15 miles from the 
foot of Lake Superior, in N. lat. 46"" 31'. 
The Rapids at this place, givinor the name 
to the settlements on both sides of the 
river, have a descent of 20 feet within the 
distance of a mile, and form the natural 
limit of navigation. The Ship Canal, how- 
ever, which has recently been constructed 
on the American side, obviates this diffi- 
culty. Steamers of a large class now pass 
through the locks into Lake Superior, 

• Settled in 1668, by the French. 



greatly facilitating trade and commerce. 
The village on the American side is pleas- 
antly situated near the foot of the rapids, 
and contains a court-house and jail; a 
Presbyterian, a Methodist, and a Roman 
Catholic church ; 2 hotels, and 15 or 20 
stores and storehouses, besides a few 
manufacturing establishments, and about 
1,200 inhabitants. Many of the inhabi- 
tants and Indians in the vicinity are en- 
gaged in the fur trade and fisheries, the 
latter being an important and profitable 
occupation. Summer visitors flock to this 
place and the Lake Superior country for 
health and pleasure. The Chippewa House^ 
a well kept hotel on the American side, 
and one on the Canadian side of the river, 
both aflTord good accommodations. 

Fort Brady is an old and important 
United States military post contiguous to 
this frontier village, where are barracks 
for a full garrison of troops. It commands 
the St. Mary's River and the approach to 
the mouth of the canal. 

Saut Ste. Marie, C. "W., is a scattered 
settlement, where is located a part of the 
Hudson Bay Company. Here is a steam- 
boat landing, a hotel, and two or three 
stores, including the Hudson Bay Com- 
pany's; and it has from 500 to 600 in- 
habitants. Indians of the Chippewa tribe 
reside in the vicinity in considerable num- 
bers, they having the exclusive right to 
take fish in the waters contiguous to the 
rapids. They also employ themselves in 
running the rapids in their frail canoes, 
when desired by citizens or strangers — 
this being one of the most exhilarating en- 
joyments for those fond of aquatic sports. 
[See Engraving.) 



I ,1 




TRIP THROUGH THE LAKES. 



07 



St. I?Iary'«i Falls Ship Caaial. 

This Canal, which connects the naviga- 
tion of Lake Superior with the Lower 
Lakes, is one mile in length, and coat 
about one million dollars. 

It was built in the years 1853, '54, '55, 
hy the Saint Mary's Falls Ship Canal Com- 
pany, under a contract witli commission- 
ers appointed by the authorities of the 
State of Micliigan to secure the building 
of the canaL 

A grant of 750.000 acres of the public 
land had previously been made by Con- 
press to the State of Michigan, to aid in 
tlie construction of this important work. 

This grant of 750,060 acres was given 
to the parties contracting for the budding 
of the canal, provided the work should be 
completed within two years from the date 
of tlio contract. 

The w'ork was commenced in the spring 
of 1853, and completed within the time 
specilied in the contract {two years!). 

Tliis result was accomplished under 
many disadvantages, during a very sickly 
season, and when great difficulty was ex- 
perienced in obtaining laborers; but tlie 
unreniittiug vigor of those who had the 
charge of the work secured its completion 
in tlio most substantial, permanent, and 
acceptable manner. 

During a great portion of tlie time there 
were from 1,200 to 1,<;00 men employed 
upon tiie work, exclusive of the force at 
the diflerent quarries where the stone was 
cut and i)repared for the locks, beside a 
large force employed in necessary agen- 
cies, getting timber, etc. 

The stones for the locks were cut at 
Auderden, Canada (near Maiden), and at 
Marblchead, near Sandusky, in Ohio. These 
were sent in vessels to the work, some 
twenty-five d'lflerent sailing vessels being 
emi)loyed in this business. 

On tlie completion of the canal in June, 
185 5, the governor of the State, the State 
officers, and the Canal Commissioners pro- 



ceeded to Saut Ste. Marie for the purpose 
of inspectuig the work. It was accepted, 
and thereupon, in accordance with the 
terms of the contract, the State author- 
ities released to the Canal Company and 
issued patents for the 750,000 acres of 
land. This was all the remuneration the 
company received tor the work. 

The lands were selected during tho 
building of the canal, by agents ap- 
pointed by the governor of Michigan. 

Of tlie 750,000 acres, 39,000 acres were 
selected in the iron region of Lake Su- 
perior, 147, 000 acrres in tlie copper region, 
and the balance, 504,000 acres, in tho 
Lower Peninsula. 

The following figures will give some 
idea of tlie magnitude of this work : 

Length of canal, 5,548 feet, = 1 mile 
304 feet. 

Width at top, 115 feet — at water-line, 
100 feet — at bottom, G4 feet. 

The depth of the canal is 12 feet. 

A slope wall on the sides of the canal is 
4,000 feet in length. 

There are two locks, each 350 feet in 
length. 

Width of locks, 70 feet at top— 61 J feet 
at bottom. 

Tho walls are 25 feet high — 10 feet thick 
at bottom. 

Lift of upper lock, 8 feet — lower do., 10 
feet; total lockage, 18 fix't. 

Lower wharf, ISOfeetlong; 20feetwide, 
Upper wharf, 830 feet long; from 16 to 30 
feet wide. 

There are :'> pairs of folding gates, each 
40 feet wide. 

Upper gate, 17 feet high — ^lower gate, 24 
feet iuclies high. 

There are also upper and lower caisson 
gates, used for shutting off the water from 
the onal. 

The amount of lumber, timber, and iron 
used in the building of the piers and gates 
is enormrnis. 

There were 103,437 lbs. of wrought iron 
used in the gates, and 38,000 lbs. cast iron. 



98 



FROM CHICAGO TO MACKINAC AND SAUT STE MARIE. 



About 8,000 feet of oak timber, etc. 

The tolls on the canal are collected by 
the State — are merely nominal — and only 
intended to defray the necessary expenses 
of repairs. 

The St. Mary's Falls Ship Canal, 
Michigan, now forms a navigable com- 
munication between Lake Superior and 
Huron, passing through the St. Mary's 
River for a distance of about 60 miles. 



The first Steamer which passed through 
the locks was the Illinois, 927 tons, 
commanded by John Wilson, on her trip 
through to the upper ports on Lake Su- 
perior, June 18, 1855, The Illinois was 
followed by the Steamer Baltimore, 514 
tons; Samuel Ward, 434 tons; and the 
North Star, 1,100 tons, during the month 
of June of the same year. 



Opening and Closing op Navigation, from 1855 to 1862, inclusive. 



Date. First Vessel. 

June 18, 1865 Illinois, 

May 4, 1856 Manhattan, 

May 9, 1867 North Stai; 

April IS. 1858 Iron Gitv, 

May 3, 1859 Lady Elgin, 

May 11, 1860 Fonntaiu City, 

Mav 3, 1861 Michigan, 

April 27, 1862 City of Cleveland, 

April 28, 1863 Mineral Rock, 



927 tons 


820 


1* 


1,100 


u. 


600 


n 


1,038 


" 


820 


l( 


642 


u 


788 


" 


565 


t. 


674 


Ik 



Date. Last VesseL 

Nov, 23, 1855 Planet, 

Nov. 28, 1856 Gen. Taylor, 

Nov. 30, 1857 Mineral Rock, 

Nov. 20, 1868 Lady Elgin, 

Nov. 28, 1869 Forester, 

Nov. 22, I860 Montffotnery, 

Nov. 28, 1861 Gen. Taylor, 

Nov. 27, 1862 Mineral Rock, 

Nov. 20, 1863 Meteor, 



1,164 ton*. 


462 


t. 


555 


u 


1,038 


u 


384 


" 


879 


u. 


462 


" 


555 


M 


729 


U. 



May 2, 1SG4 Cleveland, 

Average season of navigation, 6^ months. 

Rate.of Tolly 6 cents for every registered ton, for every description of vesaeL 



TABLE OF DISTANCES 
From Toronto to Colli iigvvood and Saiit Ste, Marie. 

Toronto to Collingwood {Railroad Route), 94 miles. 
Steamboat Route. 

(Collingwood to Saut Ste. Marie, Mich., passing through Georgian Bay and North 

Channel.) 



Ports, etc. Miles. 

Collingwood 

Cape Rich 30 

CaViot's Head 80 

Lonely Island 100 

Cape Smyth 125 

i>ht-ha-ti:a-na}i-ning 145 

Man-i-tou-wah-ning (25 m.) 

Littlti Current, \ ,w„ 



Croat Manitoulin Is 
Clappertcn Island 



.\ 



190 



Ports, etc. Miles. 

Saut Ste. Marie 

Sugar Island 4 

Garden River Set 10 

Chnrcli's Landivg 14 

Lake George 20 

Nebish Rapids 24 

St. Joseph Island 25 

The Narrows 35 

Camperaent D'Ours Is 38 

Bruce Mines 50 



FROM TORONTO TO COLLINGWOOD AND SALT STE. MARIE. 



99 



Ports, etc. Miles. 

Barrie Island 220 

Cockburn Island 255 

])rnmniond's Island, Mich 270 

7?r?ic« Mines, C. W. 290 

St. Joseph Island 2!)6 

Tampement D'Ours Is 302 

The Narrows 305 

Sugar Island, Mich 315 

Nebish Rapids 316 

Lake George 320 

Church's Landing 326 

Garden River Set 330 

Saut Ste. Marie 340 



Steamboat Fare, $8 50. 
Including meals. 



Ports, etc. Miles, 

Drummond's Island, Mich 'iO 

Cockburn Island, C. W 85 

Barrie Island 120 

Clapperton Island I^jO 

Little Curreiit ) y^^ 

Great Manitoulin Is. \ 

Man-i-tou-wah-ning (25 m.) 

She-ba-iva-nah-ning 1^5 

Cape Smyth 215 

Lonely Island 240 

Cabot's Head 200 

Cape Rich 310 

COLLINGWOOD 340 



Note. 



Usual Time, 36 hours. 
-Landings in Italic. 



CollillgM''OOd, 94 miles north from 
Toronto, is most advantageously situated 
near the head of Nottawassaga Bay, an 
indentation of Georgian Bay. The town, 
although commenced in 1S54, at the time 
of the completion of the Ontario, Simcoe, 
and Huron Railroad, now contains (1861) 
about 2,000 inhabitants, and is rapidly in- 
creasing. The surprising growth is main- 
ly owing to its being the northern termi- 
nus o"f the railway which connects the 
Georgian Bay with Lake Ontario at 
Toronto. Great numbers of travellers and 
emigrants are at this point transferred to 
steamers or propellers, bound for Mackinac, 
Green Bay, Chicago, and the Great West, 
as well as to tlie Saut Ste. Marie and Lake 
Superior. Here are a long pier, 800 feet 
in length; a breakwater, and light-house; 
several large stores and storehouses; 
four hotels, and two or three churches in 
the course of erection. 

The steamers leaving CoUingwood for 
Mackinac and Chicago, running along the 
west shore of Lake Michigan, are of a 
large class, affording good accommodations 
for travellers. Steamers run every day to 



Owen's Sound, 50 miles distant; and 
weekly to Bruce Mines, the Saut Ste. Ma- 
rie, and into Lake Superior, affordmg a 
delightfid steamboat excursion. 

Immense quantities of fish are taken in 
the waters of Nottawassaga Bay, being 
principally carried to tlie Toronto market. 
The whole north shore of the Georgian 
Bay abounds in white fish, salmon, tKout, 
maskalonge, and other fish of fine quality, 
affording profitable employment to the 
Canadians and Indians. 

" Some idea of the value and extent of 
the fishing operations promiscuously pur- 
sued in Nottawassaga Bay may be formed 
from the knowledge that the average 
daily take exceeds one thousand fish, 
weighing from forty pounds down to one 
pound. At this rate, that of the season 
would not faU short of £40,000. At the 
mouth of the Nottawassaga River the 
white fish are netted in perfect shoals 
throughout the spawning season. Most 
of the larger kind of trout spawn about 
the islands upon beds of calcareous rock, 
over which a shifting drift of sand or 
gravel passes by the action of the wi?ves, 



1X)0 



TRIP THROUGH THE LAKES. 



where the water is shallow; and from 
being exposed to the sun, tlie temperature 
of the lake is warmer at these locaHties 



than elsewhere. Thither the fishermen 
resort, and net the fish, vapid and placid 
as they are, in fabulous amounts." 



GEORGIAN BAY. 



The deeply romantic character of this 
pure and lovely body of water is almost 
unknown to the American public — lying 
as it does to the northeast of Lake Huron, 
being entirely within the confines of 
Canada. The northeast shore is the most 
romantic and highly interesting, from the 
fact of there being innumerable islands 
and islets along the coast, greatly exceed- 
ing in number the " Thousand Islands" of 
the St. Lawrence. 

From Penetanguishene, northeast to 
She-ba-wa-nah-ning, where commences the 
picturesque body of water known as the 
Korth Channel, there is one continued suc- 



cession of enchanting scenery. Here the 
wild fowl, fur-bearing game, and the finny 
tribe disport in perfect freedom, being as 
yet far removed from the busy haunts of 
civilization. 

Georgian Bay is nearly as large as Lake 
Ontario, while the North Channel, connect- 
ing with St. Mary's River on the west, may 
be said to be as large as Long Island 
Sound, dotted with a large number of love- 
ly islands, while to the south lies the 
romantic island of the Great Manitoulin, 
and on the north rises La Cloche 
Mountain — altogether forming the most 
grand and romantic scenery. 



ROUTE FROM COLLINGWCOD, C. W., TO THE SAUT STE. 

MARIE. 

THROUGH GEORGIAN JBAY AND NORTH CHANNEL. 



This is a new and highly interesting 
steamboat excursion, brought into notice 
by the completion of the Ontario, Simcoe, 
and Huron Railroad, extending from 
Toronto to CoUingwood, at the southern 
e-vtremity of Georgian Bay. 

NottawassagaBay, the southern termi- 
nation of Georgian Bay, is a large expanse of 
water bounded by Cape Rich on the west, 
and Christian Island on the east, each 
being distant about 30 miles from CoUing- 
wood. At the south end of the bay lies 
a small group of islands called the Hen 
and Chickens. 

Christi.\n Island, lying about 25 miles 
from Penetanguishene, and 25 milesnorth- 



east of Cape Rich, is a large and fertile 
island, which was early settled by the 
Jesuits. There are several others passed 
north of Christian Island, of great beauty, 
while still farther northwest are encoun- 
tered innumerable islands and islets, form- 
ing labyrinths, and secluded passages and 
coves as yet almost unknown to the white 
man, extending westward for upward of 
one hundred miles. 

Penetanguishene, C. "U^, 50 miles 
north of CoUingwood by steamboat route, 
situated on a lov«ly and secure bay, is an 
old and very important settlement, com- 
prising an Episcopal and Roman Catholic 
church, two hotels, a custom-house, severa 



ROUTE FROM COl.MNGWOOD TO SAUT 8TE MARIE. 



101 



stores and gtorehouses, and has about 500 
inhabitants. In the immediate vicinity are 
a naval and military depot and barracks, 
established by the British govetiimcnt. 
The natural beauties of the bay and har- 
bor, combined with the picturesque 
scenery of the shores, make up a picture 
of rare beauty. Here may be seen tlie 
native Indian, the half-breed, and the 
Canadian Voycigeur, with the full-blooded 
Enij;lishraan or Scotchman, forming one 
community. Tins place, being near the 
mouth of the River Severn, and contiguous 
to the numberless islands of Georgian 
Bay, is no doubt destined to become a 
favorite resort for the angler and sports- 
m in, as well as for the invalid and seeker 
of pleasure. 

On leaving OoUingioood for Bruce Mines 
and the Saut Ste. Marie, the steamer 
usually runs direct across Georgian Bay 
to I^onely Island, passing Cabot's Head 
to the right, and the passage leading into 
the broad waters of Lake Huron, wliich 
is the route pursued by the steamers in the 
voyage to Mackinac, Green Bay, and 
Ch'cago. During the summer months the 
trip from Collingwood to Mackinac and 
Chicago aftbrds a delightful excursion. 

0w2n's Sound, or Sydenham, 50 miles 
west of Collingwood, although off the 
direct route to the Saut Ste. Marie, is well 
wortliy of a passing notice. Here is a 
thriving settlement, surrounded by a 
fertile section of country, and containing 
about 2,500 inhabitants. A steamer runs 
daily from Collingwood to this place, 
which wiU, no doubt, soon be readied by 
liilroad. 

Lonely Island, situated about 100 
miles west of Collingwood and 20 miles 
east of the Groat Manitoulin Islands, is a 
large body of land mostly covered with a 
dense forest, and uninhabited, except by a 
few tisliermen, who resort here at certain 
seasons, of the year for the purpose of 
taking fish of different kinds. The steam- 
er usually passes this i.sland on its north 



side, steering for Cape Smyth, a bold 
promontory jutting out from the Great 
Manitoulin, and distant from Lonely Island 
about 25 miles. 

Squaw Island and Papoose Island 
are seen on the northeast, while farther 
inland are the Fox Islands, being the com- 
mencement on the west of the innumera- 
ble islands which abound along the north 
shore of Georgian Bay. 

La Cloche Mountains, rising about 
2,000 feet above the sea, are next seen in 
the distance, toward the north ; these, com- 
bined with the wild scenery of the islands 
and headlands, form a grand panoramic 
view, enjoyed from the deck of the passing 
steamer. 

Smyth's Bay is passed on the west, 
some eight or ten miles distant. At the 
head of this bay, on the great Manitoulin 
island, are situated a village of Indians, 
and a Jesuit's mission, called We-qua-me- 
kong. Tliese aborigines are noted for 
their industry, raising wheat, corn, oats, 
and potatoes in large quantities. This 
part of the island is very fertile, and the 
climate is healthy. 

She-ba-wa-nah-ning, signifying, in the 
Indian dialect, "i/e/e is a Clamntl,'' is a 
most charming spot, 40 miles distant from 
Lonely Island, hemmed in by mountains 
on the north and a high rocky island on 
the south. It is situated on the north 
side of a narrow channel, about half a 
mile in length, which has a great depth of 
water. Here are a convenient steamboat 
landing, a church, a store, and some ten 
or twelve dwellings, inliabited by Cana- 
dians and half-breeds. Indians assemble 
here often in considerable numbers, to sell 
their tish and furs, presenting with their 
canoes and dogs a very grotesque appear- 
ance. One resident at this landing usual- 
ly attracts much attention — a noble dog, 
of the color of cream. No sooner does 
the steamer's bell ring, than this animal 
rushes to the wharf, sometimes assisting 
to secure the rope that is thrown ashore j 



102 



TRIP THROUGH THE LAKES. 



the next move he makes \a to board the 
vessel, as though he wtre a custom-hoiise 
otlicer ; but on one occasion, in his, eager- 
ness to get into the kitchen, he fell over- 
board ; nothing daunted, he swam to the 
shore, and then agfiin boarding the vessel, 
succeeded in his desire to fill his 
stomach, showing the instinct which 
prompts many a biped office-seeker. 

On leaving She^ba-wa-nah-ning and pro- 
ceeding westward, a most beautiful bay is 
passed, studded with islands ; and moun- 
tains upwards of 1,000 feet in height, pre- 
senting a rocky and sterile appearance, 
form an appropriate background to 
the view ; thence are passed Badgley and 
Ileywood Islands, the latter lying ofl" Hey- 
wood Sound, situated on the north side 
of the Great Manitoulin. 

Max-i-tou-wah-ning, 25 miles north- 
west of She-ba-w^a-nah-ning, is handsome- 
ly situated at the head of Heywood 
Sound. It is an Indian settlement, and 
also a government agency, being the place 
annually selected to distribute the Indian 
annuities. 

Little Current, 25 miles westof She- 
ba-wa-nah-ning, is another interesting 
landing oa the north shore of the Great 
Manitoulin, opposite La Cloche Island. 
Here the main channel is narrow, with a 
current usually running at the rate of five 
or six knots an hour, being much affected 
by the winds. The steamer stops at this 
landing for an hour or upward, receiving 
a supply of w^ood, it being furnished by 
an intelligent Indian or half-breed, who 
resides at this place with his family. In- 
dians are often seen here in considerable 
numbers. They are reported to be indo- 
lent and harmless, too often neglecting 
tliC cultivation of the soil for the more 
uncertain pursuits of fishing and hunting, 
although a considerably large clearing is 
to bo seen indiflerently cultivated. 

Clapperton Island and other islands 
of less magnitude are passed in the Xorth 
Oiannd, wliich is a large body of water 



about 120 miles long and 25 miles wide- 
On the north shore is situated a post of 
the Hudson Bay Company, which may 
be seen from the deck of the passing 
steamer. 

CocKBURN Island, 85 miles west of 
Little Current lies directly west of the 
Great Manitoulin, from which it is sepa- 
rated by a narrow channel. It is a large 
island, somewhat elevated, but uninhabit- 
ed, except by Indians. 

Drummond Island, 15 miles farther 
westward, belongs to the United States, 
being attached to the State of Michigan. 
This is another large body of land, being 
low\ and as yet mostly uninhabited. 

The next Island approached before 
landing at Bruce Mines is St. Joseph Is- 
land, being a large and fertile body of 
land, with some few settlers. 

Bruce Mines Village, C. W., is situ- 
ated on the north shore of Lake Huron, 
or the "North Channel," as it is here 
called, distant 290 miles from Collingwood, 
and 50 from the Saut Ste. Marie. Here 
are a Methodist chapel, a public-house, 
and a store and storehouse belonging to 
the Montreal Copper Mining Company, 
besides extensive buildings used for crush- 
ing ore and preparing it for the market ; 
about 75 dwellings and 600 inhabitants. 
The copper ore, after being crushed by 
powerful machinery propelled by steam, 
is put into puddling troughs and w^ashed 
by water, so as to obtain about 20 per 
cent, pure copper. In this state it is 
shipped to the Ignited States and England, 
bringing about $80 per ton. It then has 
to go through an extensive smelting pro- 
cess, in order to obtain the pure metal. 
The mines are situated in tlie immediate 
vicinity of the village, there being ten 
openings or shafts from which the ore is 
obtained in its crude state. Horse-power 
is mostly used to elevate the oie; the 
whims are above ground, attached to 
which are ropes and buckets. This mine 
gives employment to about 300 workmen. 



TRIP FROM COLLINGWOOD TO PORT WILLIAM. 



103 



The capital stock of the company amounts 
to :^600,00(). 

The Wellington Mim^ about one mile dis- 
tuat, is also owned l>y the Montreal Min- 
ing Company, but is leased and worked 
by an English company. This mine, at 
the present time, is more productive than 
the Bruce Mines. 

The Lake Superior Journal gives the 
following description of the Bruce Mine, 
from which is produced a copper ore dif- 
fering from that which is yielded by other 
mines of that peninsula. 

"Ten years ago this mine was opened, 
and large sums expended for machinery, 
which proved useless, but it is now un- 
der new management, and promises to 
yield profitably. Twelve shafts have been 
opened, one of which has been carried 
down some 330 feet. Some 200 or 300 
men are emplo3'ed, all from the European 
mines. Some of the ores are very beauti- 
ful to the eye, resembling fine gold. After 
being taken out of the shaft, they are 
taken upon a rail-tract to the crushing- 
house, where they are passed between 
large iron rollers, and sifted till only a 
tine powder remains; from thence to the 
■jigger- works,' where they are sbaken in 
water till much of the earthy matter is 
washed away, after which it is piled in 
the yard ready for shipment, having more 
the appearance of mud than of copper. It 
is now mostly shipped to Swansea, in 
Wales, for smelting. Two years since, 



1,500 tons were shipped to Baltimore and 
Buffalo to be smelted." 

On resuming the voyage after leaving 
Bruce Mines, the steamor runs along 
St. Joseph Island through a beautiful 
sheet of water, in which are embosomed 
some few islands near the main shore. 

Gampement D'Ours is an island passed 
on the left, lying contiguous to St. Joseph 
Island. Here are encountered several 
small rocky islands, forming an intricate 
channel called the " Narrows.'' On somo 
of the islands in this group are found cop- 
per ore, and beautiful specimens of moss. 
The forest-trees, however, are of a dwarf- 
ish growth, owing, no doubt, to the scant- 
iness of soil on these rocky islands. 

About 10 miles west of the " Narrows," 
the main channel of the St. Mary's Riv- 
er is reached, forming the boundary be- 
tween the United States and Canada. A 
rocky island lies on the Canadian side, 
which is reserved for government pur- 
poses, as it commands the main or ship 
channeL 

Sugar Island is now reached, which 
belongs to the United States, and the 
steamers run a further distance of 25 
miles, when the landing at the Saut Ste. Ma- 
rie is reached, there being settlements on 
both sides of the river. The British boats 
usually land on the north side, whUe the 
American boats make a landing on the 
south side of the river, near the mouth of 
the ship canaL 



TRIP FROM COLLINGWOOD TO FORT WILLIAM, C. W. 

The First Trip op the Steamer Rescue. 



'* To the Editor of the Toronto Globe. 

" Sir : As you have on all occasions taken 
a prominent part in advocating the opening 
up of the Hudson's Bay Territory and the 
North Shore of Lake Superior, I send you 
a log journal of the first cruise of the 
Steamer Rescue^ Captain James Dick, from 



Collingwood to Fort William. On this 
trip, she fairly maintained her previous 
reputation ; for in a heavy gale of wind on 
the beam for many hours, between Mich- 
ipicolien Island and Fort William, she 
made her 10^ miles per hour, and, during 
the gale, was" steady, and free from any 



104 



TRIP THROUGH THE LAKES. 



unpleasant motion. We left Collingwood 
at 10.30 A. M., on the 12th July, 1858, 
Captain Kennedy in charge of the mails, 
for Red River. \\'e passed Cabot's Head 
at 6.30 p. M.; Cove Island light, at 9 P. M. 
(merely a lantern on the top of the tower, 
vi><"',le about two miles on a clear night) ; 
passed between tlie middle and western 
iJut'k Islands at 4 a.m., at easy steam, so 
as to enter tlie Missisaga Straits in day- 
light ; at 11.20 A.M., ran alongside the 
wharf at i^rwce J// nes; landed n^ails, and 
wooded. Under the kind supervision of 
Mr. Davidson we inspected the process of 
e.xtracting copper ore from the bowels of 
the eartli. We found that it contained 4 
per cent, at the moutli of the pit, and 25 
per cent, barrelled up in the form of paste. 
Sometime ago, tlie Montreal Mining Com- 
pany (owning the Bruee Mines), leased 
half their location to the Wellington Min- 
ing Company. There are, in consequence, 
within one mile, separated by a small 
island, two establishments, forming one 
considerable town. Arrived at Saut Ste. 
Marie, Pim's wharf (British side), at 7 p. 
M. ; landed mails, and ran over to the 
American side fur coals. At 6 a. m., on 
the 14th, entered the ship-canal, paying 
six cents per ton lockage dues. Mr. Simp- 
son, of the Hudson's Bay Company, very 
politely sent with us the Captain of their 
schooner to pilot us throug-h to Pine Point, 
where we engag-ed his son-in-law, Alex. 
Clark, as pilot. 

"Passed White Fish Point, Lake Su- 
perior, at 10 o'clock A. M., Caribou Island 
at 4.30 o'clock p. m. This island was so- 
caUed, from the circumstance of Captain 
McHargo, wiio accompanied Bayiield in 
his survey, having on one occasion killed 
60 Caribous on it. At 6 P. M., we were 
close to ' Rescue' Harbor, Island of Mi- 
chipicoten. The harbor at Michipicoten 
is described by the pilot, who has l>een 15 
years on the lake, as superb, and is so 
laid down by Bayfield. The island is 
about IG miles by 6, covered with sprisce, 



fir, birch, ash and maple, the latter grow- 
ing on elevated ground. There are sever- 
al lakes upon it, full of speckled trou* ; the 
bay is full of salmon, trout, and white tish. 
A schooner was loaded here last season in 
a very short time with fish in and about 
the harbor ; and the climate is said by old 
voyageurs to be far more pleasant during 
the \\-intor than at the Saut and other 
places farther south, being of a drier nature* 
Between the island and the main land is 
the most sheltered passage, with two ex- 
cellent harbors on each side, one at Ot- 
ters' Creek and the other at Michipicoten 
River and harbor. This latter place is 
an important port of the Hudson's Bay 
Company, distant from Moose Iwt, Hud- 
son's Bay, 300 miles, which has been pass- 
ed over in canoes in six days. Michipi- 
coten Island is said to contain great min- 
eral deposit — silver, copper, and lead ; the 
Quebec Mining Company have a location 
here. 

At daybreak on Thursday we passed 
Slate Island, and shortly after encountered 
a dense fog and lay to till 1 p. m. It was 
two o'clock before we saw land. I'assed 
close to Thunder Cape, a perpendicular 
rock rising from the water's edge 1,350 
feet. Anchored at Fort William, situ- 
ated at tlie mouth of Kaministoguoi River 
at 7 p. M., on Thursday 15th, and landed 
the mail Owing to a bar and shoal at 
the moutli of the "iver, we anchored about 
a mQe from the Fort, early on Friday the 
16th. Some of the party went up the 
river in canoes to the Jesuit Mission, about 
three miles, where they were kindly re- 
ceived by the priest. Capt. Jas. Dick and 
Mr. MoMurrich went fishing to Current 
River, about five miles to the north, where 
the speckled t^^out proved too large and 

* The romantic and uninhabited harbor on the 
south side of Michipicoien Island, exceeds ii> 
SittVty, extent, and grandeur any hai'bor fouud on 
the shores of these j:reat lakes. It was visited 
by the steamer •' FLoughhoy,''^ with a party of 
I)h'asure on board iu ISUU, lying ut anchor uil 
Oiisht. 



TRIP FROM COLLIWGWOOD TO FORT WILLIAM. 



105 



strong for their light rods and tackle, 
smashing the tops of their rods and tear- 
ing away their lines and flies as fast as 
they were thrown in, and they had to 
give it up for want of material. (Jue of 
the trout caught wa-s the largest speckled 
trout I have seen for some years. There 
are trout in this stream, aud in all the rai)id 
streams between the t^aut and Fort \Vil- 
liam, from 2 lbs. to 6 lbs., and if larger 
ones are required, at Neepigon River 
*% they can be caught from 8 lbs. to 12 lbs. 
Fancy such a spot, ye disciples of Isaac 
AValton ; speckled trout to be had for the 
trouble of throwing a tly, within 3^ days 
of Toronto, weighing from 2 lbs. to 12 lbs. 
In this vicinity are to be found beautiful 
specimens of amethyst and other precious 
stones. 

" The gardens at Fort "William and at 
th Jesuit Mission are as forward as 
those on the north part of the county of 
Simcoe. The Hudson's Bay Company 
liave a large farm, 50 cows besides horses 
and sheep, and up the river there are 
other farms; they raise oats, bar4ey, and 
all kinds of vegetables, and I see no rea- 
son why they cannot raise wheat. Mrs. 
Mclntyre, the wife of the agent, was very 
polite and kind, and invited us all up to the 
Fort — gave us supplies of milk and vege- 
• tables. By this route their trade is car- 
ried on to Red River. Sir George Simp- 
son returned from Red River just before 
we arrived with two canoes (9 men in each) 
and left again for the Saut. This bay, 
Black Thunder, Neepigon Bay, and Pie 
Island Bay and neighborhood, abound in 
white fish aud trout — 10 fish frequently 
fiU a barrel — 20 as a general rule; nets 
should be 5^ to 7^ inch mesh. Our pilot, 
two years ago, in five weeks, with two 
men, tilled 175 barrels; he was furnished 
by merchants at the Saut with barrels 
and salt, and $5 when returned full — tlie 
rate this year being about $4. Thirty 
barrels of white fish were taken at one 
haul of a seme near Fort William. 



We left Fort William at 8 p. m., for 
Grand Fortage, passing McKay's Mount 
of Greenstone, 1,000 feet perpendicular 
height. La Fate or Pie Island, 850 fecfc 
perpendicular ; tliis island is said to abound 
in lead ; hardly a stone can be picked up 
on the shore witliout lead in it. On all 
these islands valuable stones can be pick- 
ed up, fit for brooches and rings. Tiie 
channel being very intricate, and the pilot 
not quite posted up, we lay to till day- 
break, and entered Grand Portage Bay at 
5 A. M. Capt. Kennedy landed here with 
the mails, purchased a canoe, and was 
ready to start before we left. A nucleus 
of a town has already sprung up here on 
the United States side. 

" After giving Capt. Kennedy a hearty 
shake of the hand all round, we started 
homeward, at 7.15 a. m., and passed Cop- 
per Harbor at 2 p. M., Manitou Light 5.50 
p. M., White Fish Point 6.40 a. m. ; 
and on the 18th July entered the Saut 
Canal at 10.18 a. m. Coaled on the 
American side, and wooded on Pim's 
wharf, British side. Landed the mail, and 
started at 2.45 p. M. Came to the wharf 
at Bruce Mines at seven p. m. — wooded 
and left at 7.40 — passing through the Mis- 
sesaga Straits and the channel between 
the Middle and West Duck. On the 
19th passed Cove Island light at 8 
a. m., — Cabot's Head 10 o'clock a. m., 
and came to the wharf at Colling- 
wood at 6 p. M. Thus making the first 
trip, including delays and stoppages 
round Lake Superior, in seven days and six 
hours ; distance run, taken from Bayfield's 
chart, between 1,250 and 1,300 (geographi- 
cal) miles. The average speed, running 
time, being a little over tea miles per hour. 

"The scenery throughout, and especial- 
ly that of Superior, is magnificent. And 
now that the means of communication 
are aflbrded to this great and unknown 
region, in a safe and commodious boat, 
under the care of a well-known and ex- 
perienced captain, it must beoomo tho 



106 



TRIP THROUGH THE LAKES. 



favorite route for the tourist in search of 
health and picturesque scenery." 

The Compiler of this volume having, 
during the summer of 18G0, passed over 
the same route on board the Canadian 
steamer Ploughboy, can vouch for the 
accuracy of most of the above described 
trip, exceeding in rich variety of lake and 
river scenery any other excursion, of 
equal extent, on the continent of Am- 
erica. 

The sliores or mainland, together with 
virgin islands, are in view for most of tlie 
distance, except while crossing the wide 
waters of Lal<e Superior, — when all the 
vastness of the ocean-deep is realized, — 
you then being surrounded by an un- 
broken waste of waters. 



Distance around I^ake 
liiiperior. 

Saut Ste. Maeie to Fort William, C. 
W., 300 miles ; Fort Wilham to Superior 
City, Wis., 200 miles ; Superior City to 
Saut Ste. Marie (American side), 5G5 miles 
— making the grand circuit of Lake Supe- 
rior, 1,065 miles. 



Distances from the Saut. Ste. 
JTIarie to Superior City. 

Ports, Ac. Distances. Miles. 

Saut Ste. Marie, Mich . 00 

Point Iroquois 15 15 

White Fish Point 25 40 

Point an Sable 50 90 

Pictured Rocks 20 110 

Grand Island 10 120 

Munising, Mich 5 125 

Marquette," 45 170 

Huron Islands 45 215 

Portage Entry 25 240 

Hough'' n (Portage Lake, 14 m.) 

Manitou Island, or Kewee- ) ^n oaa 

Ti • . >• bO oOO 

naw Point ) 

Cojyper Harbor 15 315 

Agate Harbor 10 325 

Eagle Harbor 6 331 

Eagle Rirer 9 340 

Ontonagon, Mich 65 405 

Porcupine Hills 25 430 

La Pointe, Wis 52 482 

Bayjiekl 3 485 

Point de Tour 10 495 

Superior City, Wis 70 565 



GRAND PLEASTTRE EXCURSION AROUND LAKE SUPERIOR. 



On leaving the Ship Canal, at the Saut, 
the steamer ascends a beautiful stretch 
of the St. Mary's River for 10 miles be- 
fore reaching Waiska Bay, being an ex- 
pansion of tlie river of about 5 miles. 
Here the shores assume a bold appearance 
well worthy the attention of the traveller 
before launching out on the waters of the 
broad lake. 

Iroquois Point, on the American side, 
and Gros Cap, on the Canadian side, are 
next passed, 15 miles from the Saut Ste. 
Marie. The latter is a bold promontory, 
ri.^^ing some 400 or 500 feet above the 
water, with still higher hills rising in the 
distance. 



TonquambnovBay is next entered, and 
a scene of grandeur is presented to the 
view; on the southwest or American 
shore the land rises to a moderate height, 
wlide on the northeast or Canada shore 
the land rises to mountain height, being 
elevated from 800 to 1,000 feet, running 
off far in the distance toward the north. 

Parisien and other islands, attached to 
Canada, are passed on the right, the bay 
being about 25 miles long and as many 
broad; ifti fact, forming a part of Lake 
Superior, whose pure waters are in full 
view as far as the eye can reach, 

GouLAis Bay, and Point, another bold 
headland, lie to the north of Gros Cap, 



EXCIRSION AROUND LAKE SUPERIOR. 



107 



■where enters a river of the same 
name, and are situated on the Canada side. 
Here are line tishing-gronnds in the bay, 
while the river abounds in speckled trout, 
being a favored resort for fishing-parties 
during pleasant weather. 

Lake Superior, by far the largest 
of the Inland Seas of North America, ly- 
ing between 4G'' 30' and 49° north lati- 
tude, and between 84^ 30' and 92° 30' 
west longitude, situated at a height of 
600 feet above the sea, from which it is 
distant about 1,500 miles by the course of 
its outlet and the St. Lawrence River, is 
460 miles long from east to west, and 170 
miles broad in its widest part, with an 
average breadth of 85 miles. It is 800 
feet in greatest depth, extending 200 feet 
below tlie level of the ocean ; estimated 
area, 32,000 square miles. Near two 
hundred rivers and creeks are said to 
flow into the lake, the greater part being 
small streams, and but few navigable, ex- 
cept by canoes, owing to their numerous 
falls and rapids. It contains several 
islands, the most important of which are 
Isle Rnyale, and The Twelve Apo.stles, 
near its western extremity, and Grand 
Island, all attached to the IJnited States ; 
Caribou Island, Michipicoten, St. Ignace, 
Pie, Slate, and other islands attached to 
Canada. 

Keweexaw Point is its most remarka- 
ble feature, jutting far out into the lake 
some sixty or seventy miles. On the 
range of hills running through this point, 
about 20 miles wide, are found the most val- 
uable copper mines in the world. Its good 
and secure harbors are but few on the south 
side of the lake, while on the north shore 
and islands are several perfectly safe 
harbors, and easy of access. It dis- 
charges its surplus waters by the Strait, 
or River St. Mary, 60 miles long, into 
Lake Huron, which lies 27 feet below, 
most of the descent being at the Saut Ste. 
Marie, where is a Ship Canal three-fourths 
of a mile in leugth, with two locks of 10 



feet less each, overcoming a descent of 20 
feet. 

''The early French Jesiiit fatho;?, who 
first explored and described this great 
lake, and published an account of it in 
Paris, in ltJ3G, describe the form of its 
shores as similar to that of a bended bow, 
the northern shore being the arc, and the 
southern shore the cord, while Keweenaw 
Point, projecting from the southern shore 
to near the middle of the lake, iTs the ar- 
row." 

This graphic description is illustrated 
by a map, prepared by them, which dis- 
plays the geographical position of its 
shores with as much fidelity as most of 
the maps of our day, and proves that 
those early explorers were perfectly fa- 
miliar with its outline and shores. 

'' The coast of Lake Superior is mostly 
formed of rocks of various kinds, and of 
difierent geological groups. With the ex- 
ception of sandy bars at the mouth of 
some of the rivers and small streams, the 
whole coast of the lake is rock-bound; 
and in some places, but more particularly 
on the north shore, mountain masses of 
considerable elevation rear themselves 
from the water's edge, while mural preci- 
pices and beetling crags oppose themselves 
to the surges of this mighty lake, and 
threaten the unfortunate mariner, who 
may be caught in a storm upon a lee-shore, 
with almost inevitable destruction." 

" Father of Lakes ! tby waters bend 
Beyond the eajfle's utmost view, 
When, throned in heaven, he sees thee send 
Back, to the sky its world of blue, 

" Boundless and deep, the forests weave 
Their twilight shade thy borders o"er. 
And threatening clilfs, like giants, heave 
Their rugged forms along thy shore.'" 

There are now situated on the Ameri- 
can side of Lake Superior twelve light- 
houses, viz., on Point Iroquois; White 
Fish Point; Grand Island; Marquette 
Harbor; Portage Entry; Manitou Island, 
near Keweenaw Point ; Copper Harbor ; 



108 



TRIP THROUGH THE LAKES. 



Eagle Harbor ; Eagle River ; Ontonagon, 
at mouth (3ntonagon River ; La Pointe, 
on Madeline Island; and Minnesota Point, 
mouth of St. Louis River. 

A government survey of the Upper 
Lakes, including the St. Mary's River 
and Straits of Mackinac, is being made 
by a corps of Topographical Surveyors, 
wliich wlieu published will furnish accu- 
rate charts of these Inland Seas. 

White Pish Poixr, and LiatiT-iiousE, 
40 miles from the Saut, lies on the south- 
v/est or American shore, forming a con- 
si)icuous landmark, while Mamaitis Point 
is seen on the northeast or Canada 
shore. 

On passing White Fish Point, where 
may be seen a number of " sand-dunes," 
or liills, and a light-house 75 feet in 
height, the broad waters of Lake Superior 
are reached. The steamers usually pur- 
sue a westerly course toward Grand 
Island or Marquette, passing Point au 
Sable, 50 miles farther. During clear 
weather, the steep sandy hills on the 
south shore, ranging from 300 to 500 
feet in height, may be seen from the 
deck of the steamer. 

PoiXT AU Sable, 50 miles from White 
Fish Point, is the first object of interest 
seen on the south shore, on the upward 
trip, from the deck of the passing steamer, 
which usually runs within sight of land, 
a'.fording views of a continued succession 
of interesting points and bold headlands. 

The PiOTUUED Rocks, 20 miles further, 
or about 110 miles from the Saut, are 
next passed, presenting a magnificent ap- 
pearance at certain times of the day, 
when favorably seen under the rays of a 
brilliant sun; then the effect is height- 
ened by the constantly changing appear- 
ance of these almost enchanted rocks. 
The steamers occasionally run close in 
shore, when the weather is favorable, af- 
fording a fine opportunity to examine 
these wonders of nature. 



Trip to Lake Superior. 

Extract from a Letter, dated 
"St. Illinois, of Pictured Rock'?, L. S., 
"July, 31, 1862. 

" At sunrise this morning, we ap- 
proached the far-famed Pictured Rocks 
ol Lake Superior, and were favored with 
one of the most grand scenes imaginable. 
The sun rose clear, reflecting its rays in 
the waters of the lake, presenting a gor- 
geous appearance. The Sail Rock, and 
other points of interest, were distinctly 
visible, while the steamer was running 
for the * Grand PortaiV of the voyagears, 
the most remarkable feature of this won- 
der of nature, varying with every cloud 
efifect as seen from the passing vessel. 

" The steamer approached cautiously un- 
til she had run her bows under the project- 
ing cliff, then came to a stand-still as quietly 
as though she was lying at a pier or 
wharf, giving the numerous passengers a 
fine opportunity to examme the deep re- 
cesses of this immense cavern, the floor 
being covered with clear, transparent 
water to the depth of 10 or 20 feet. In- 
side were visible two lesser openings, 
where a small boat might pass out into 
the lake on either side — the portail being 
formed at the termination of a projecting 
clift" — rising about 200 feet above the lake 
surface. 

" The Pictured Rocks are thus briefly 
described by Poster and Whitney, in their 
geological report : — ' They may be de- 
scribed, in general terms, as a series of 
sand-stone bluffs, extending along the 
South shore of Lake Superior, for eight 
or ten miles, and rising, in most places, 
vertically from the water, without any 
beach at the base, to a heigiit varying 
from 50 to 200 feet.' 

"Yours, &c., J. D." 



EXCURSION AROUND LAKE SUPERIOR. 



109 



The Pidured Hocks, of which almost fab- 
ulous accounts are given by travellers, are 
one of the wonders of this "Inland Sea." 
Here are to be seen the Cascade Falls and 
other objects of great interest. The Am- 
phitheatre, Miners' Castle, Chapel, Grand 
Portal, and Sail Rock, are points of great 
picturesque beauty, which require to be 
seen to be justlj'' appreciated. 

Extract from Foster and Whitney's 
Report of the Greology of the Lake Supe- 
rior Land District: 

Ficlured Roek§. — "The range 
of clift's to which the name of the Pictur- 
ed Rocks has been given, may be regard- 
ed as among the most striking and beau- 
tiful features of the scenery of the North- 
west, and are well worthy the attention 
of tlie artist, the lover of the grand and 
beautiful, and the observer of geological 
phenomena. 

"Although occasionally visited by trav- 
ellers, a full and accurate description of 
this extraordinary locality has not as yet 
been communicated to the public* 

'■^Th.Q Pictured Rocks may be described, 
in general terms, as a series of sandstone 
bluffs extending along the shore of Lake 
Superior for about five miles, and risiag, 
in most places, vertically from the water, 
without any beach at the base, to a height 
varying from tifty to nearly two hundred 



* Schoolcraft has undertaken to describe this 
ranire of cliffs, and illustrate the scenery. The 
sketches do not appear to have been made on the 
spot, or finished by one who was acQuaiiited with 
the scenery, as they bear no reseinl)laiiee, so far 
as we observed, to any of the prominent features 
of tlie Pictured Rocks. 

"It is a matter o4" surprise that, so far as we 
know, none of our artists ho.ve visited this region, 
and triven to the world representatious of scenery 
so striking, and so different from any which can 
hi- found elsewhere. We can hardly conceive of 
any thing more worthy of the artist's pencil ; 
and if the tide of [ileasure-travel should once be 
turned in this direction, it seems not ufire^is<m- 
abie to siip|>ose that a fashionable hotel may yet 
bf built uudfr the shade of the pine groves near 
the (Jhapel. and a trip thither become as coirimon 
as one to Niagara now is."' 



\ feet. "Were they simply a line of cliffs, 
tliey might not, so far as relates to height 
or e.\teut, be worthy of a rank among 
great nattiral curio.sitios. althougli such 
an assemblage of rocky strata, washed by 
the waves of the great lake, would not, 
under any circumstances, be destitute of 
grandeur. To the voyager coasting along 
their base in his frail canoe they would, 
at all times, be an object of dread; the 
recoil of the surf, the rockbotmd coast, 
affording for miles no place of refuge; the 
lowering sky, the rising wind; all these 
would excite his apprehension, and induce 
him to ply a vigorous oar until the 
dreaded wall was passed. But in the 
Pictured Rocks there are two features 
which communicate to the scenery a won- 
derful and almost unique character. These 
are, first, the curious manner in which the 
cliffs have been excavated and worn away 
by the action of the lake, which for cen- 
turies has dashed an ocean-like surf 
against their base; and, second, the equal- 
ly curious manner in which large portions 
of the surface have been colored by bands 
of brilhant hues, 

"It is from the latter circumstance that 
the name by which these cliffs are known 
to the American traveller is derived; while 
that applied to them by the French voya- 
(jeurs ('Les Portails'*) is derived from the 
former, and by far the most striking pe- 
culiarity. 

" The term Pictured Rocks has been ia 
use for a great length of time, but when 
it was first applied we have been unaljlo 
to discover. 

"The Indian name applied to these cliffs, 
according to our roija'jenrs, is Schkuee- 
archibi-kung, or ' The end of the rocks,' 



* Lc Portail is a French term, signifying the 
principal entrance of a church or a jiortal, and 
this name was givi-n to the Pictured Itoeks by 
ihv voi/ageurx. evidently in allusion to the arche<l 
entrances which constitute the most charactHis- 
tic feature. Le (Jrand PorUiil is the great arch- 
way, or Grand Portal. 



110 



TRIP TIIROrCJri THE LAKES. 



which seems to refer to the fact that, in 
descending the lake, after having passed 
them, no more rocks are seen along the 
shore. Our voyageurs had many legends 
to relate of the pranks of the Menni-boujov, 
in these caverns, and in answer to our in- 
quiries seemed disposed to fabricate sto- 
ries without end of the achievements of 
this lucUan deity. 

"We will describe the most interesting 
points in the series, proceeding from west 
to east. On leaving Grand Island harbor,* 
high cliffs are seen to the east, which form 
the commencement of the series of rocky 
promontories, which rise vertically from 
the water to the height of from one hun- 
dred to one hundred and twenty-five feet, 
covered with a dense canopy of foliage. 
Occasionally a small cascade may be seen 
falling from the verge to the base in an 
unbroken curve, or gliding down the in- 
clined face of the cliff in a sheet of white 
foam. The rocks at this point begin to 
assume fantastic shapes ; but it is not un- 
til having reached Miners' River that 
their striking peculiarities are observed, 

* The traveller desirous of visiting this scene 
shouifl take advantiige ofone of the steamers or 
propellers wliicli nuvisate the lake and land at 
Grand Island, from which he can proceed to 
make the tour of the interesting points in a small 
boat. The large vessels on the lake do not ap- 
proach surticii-ntly near the clitfs to allow the trav- 
eller to gather more than a general idea of their 
j>ositi<»n and outlines. To be able to appreciate 
and tmderstand tlieir extraordinary character, it 
is indispensable to coast along inclose proximity 
to the clilfs and pass beneath the Grand Portal, 
which is only accessible from the lake, and to 
land and enter witlilii the precincts of the Chapel. 
At Grand Island, boats, men, and provisions may 
be procured. The traveller should lay in a good 
siil)ply, if it is intended to be absent long enough 
to i»ake a thorough examination of the whole 
series. In fact, an old voyager will not readily 
trust himself to the mercy of the win<lsand waves 
of the lake without them, as he may not unfre- 
quently, however auspicious the weather when 
starting, find himself weather-bound for days to- 
gether. It is possible, however, in one day, to 
start from Grand Island, see the most interesting 
pjAts, and return. The distance from William's 
to The Chapel — the farthest point of interest — is 
about fifteen miles. 



Here the coast makes an abrupt turn to 
the eastward, and just at the point where 
the rocks break off and the friendly sand- 
beach begins, is seen one of the grandest 
works of nature in her rock-built archi- 
tecture. We gave it the name of 'Miners' 
Castle,' from its singular resemblance to 
the turreted entrance and arched portal 
of some old castle — for instance, that of 
Dumbarton. The height of the advanc- 
ing mass, in which the form of the Gothic 
gateway may be recognized, is about sev- 
enty feet, while that of the main wall 
forming the background is about one hun- 
dred and forty. The appearance of the 
openings at the base changes rapidly with 
each change in the position of the spec- 
tator. On taking a position a little far- 
ther to the right of that occupied by the 
sketcher, the central opening appears 
more distinctly fianked on either side by 
two lateral passages, making the resem- 
blance to an artificial work still more 
striking, 

"A little farther east, Miners' River 
enters the lake close under the brow of 
the cliff, wkich here sinks down and gives 
place to a sand-bank nearly a third of a 
mile in extent. The river is so narrow 
that it requires no little skill on the part 
of the voyager to enter its mouth when 
a heavy sea is rolling in from the north. 
On the right bank, a sandy drift plain, 
covered with Norway and Banksian pine, 
spreads out, affording good camping-ground 
— the only place of refuge to the voyager 
until he reaches Chapel River, five miles 
distant, if we except a small sand-beach 
about midway between the two points, 
where, in case of necessity, a boat may 
be beached, 

"Beyond the sand-beach at Miners 
River the cliffs attain an altitude of one 
hundred and seventy-three feet, and 
maintain a nearly uniform height for a con- 
siderable distance. Here one of those 
cascades of which we have before spoken 
is seen foaming down the rock. 



EXCURSION AROUND LAKE SUPERIOR. 



Ill 



"The cliff's do not form straight lines, 
but rather arcs of circles, the space be- 
tweea the projecting points having been 
worn out in symmetrical curves, some of 
which are of large dimensions. To one 
of the grandest and most regularly form- 
ed we gave the name of 'The Amphi- 
theatre.' Looking to the west, another 
projecting point — its base worn into cave- 
Uke forms — and a portion of the concave 
surface of the intervening space are seen. 

" It is in this portion of the series that 
the phenomena of colors are most beauti- 
fully and conspicuously displayed. These 
cannot be illustrated by a mere crayon 
sketch, but would require, to reproduce 
the natural effect, an elaborate drawing 
on a large scale, in which the various 
combinations of color sliould be carefully 
represented. These colors do not by any 
means cover the whole surface of the cliff 
even where they are most conspicuously 
disi)layed, bnt are confined to certain 
porcions of the cliffs in the vicinity of the 
Amphitheatre ; the great mass of the sur- 
face presenting the natural light-yeUow 
or raw sienna color of the rock. The col- 
ors are also limited in their vertical range, 
rarely extending more than thirty or f(jrty 
feet above the water, or a quarter or a 
third of the vertical height of the clitf". 
The prevailing tints consist of deep-brown, 
yellow, and gray — burnt sienna and 
French gray predominating. 

" There are also briglit blues and greens, 
though le-ss frequent. All of the tints 
.'ire fresh, brilliant, and distinct, and har- 
monize admirably with one another, which, 
taken in connectioi] with the grandeur of 
the arched and caverned surfaces on 
wliich they are laid, and the deep and 
pure green of the water which heaves and 
swells at the base, and the rich foliage 
which waves above, produce an effect 
truly wonderful. 

" They are u jt scattered indiscriminate- 
ly over the surface of the rock, but are 
arranged in vertical and parallel bands. 



extending to the water's edge. Tho 
mode of their production is luidoubt- 
edly as follows: Between the bands 
or strata of thick-bedded sandstone 
there are thin seams of shaly materials, 
which are more or less charged with tho 
metallic oxides, iron largely predomina- 
ting, with here and there a trace of copper. 
As the surface-water permeates through 
the porous strata ii comes in contact with 
these shaly bands, and, oozing out from 
the exposed edges, trickles down the face 
of the cliffs, and leaves behind a sediment, 
colored according to the oxide which is 
contained in the band in which it origi- 
nated. It cannot, however, be denied that 
there are some peculiarities which it is 
difficult to explain by any hypothesis. 

" On first examining the Pictured Rocks, 
we were forcibly struck with the brilliancy 
and beauty of tlie colors, and wondered 
why some of our predecessors, in their 
descriptions, had hardly adverted to what 
we regarded as their most characteristic 
feature. At a subsequent visit we Avere 
surprised to find that tlie effect of the 
colors was much less striking than be- 
fore ; they seemed faded out. leaving only 
traces of their former brilliancy, so that 
the traveller might regard this as an un- 
important feature in the scenery. It is 
difficult to account for this change, but it 
may be due to the dryness or humidity of 
the season. If the colors are produced 
by the percolation of the water through 
the i-trata, taking up and depositing the 
colored sediments, as before suggested, it 
is evident that a long period of drought 
would cut off the supply of moisture, and 
the colors, being no longer renewed, 
would fade, and finally disappear. This 
explanation seems reasonable, for at the 
time of our second visit the beds of the 
streams ou the summit of the table-land 
were dry. 

"It is a curious fact, that the colors 
are so firmly attached to tlie surface that 
they are very little aflected by rains or 



112 



TRIP THROUGH THE LAKE8. 



the dashing (»t' the surf, since they were, 
in numerous instances, observed extend- 
ing in all their freshness to the very wa- 
ter's edge. 

'•Proceeding to the eastward of the 
.'Amphitheatre, we find the clifls scooped 
out into caverns and grotesque openings, 
of tlie most striking and beautiful variety 
of forms. In some places huge blocks of 
sandstone have become dislodged and ac- 
cumulated at the base of the cliff, where 
tliey are ground up and the fragments 
borne away by the ceaseless action of the 
surge. 

" To a striking group of detached blocks 
the name of 'Sail Rock' has been given, 
from its striking resemblance to the jib 
and mainsail of a sloop when spread — so 
much so that when viewed from a dis- 
tance, with a full glare of light upon it, 
while the cliff' in the rear is left in the 
shade, the illusion is perfect. The height 
of the block is about forty feet. 

" Masses of rock are frequently dis- 
lodged from the cllft", if we may judge 
from the freshness of the fracture and 
the appearance of the trees involved in 
the descent. The rapidity with which 
this undermining process is carried on, 
at many points, will be readily apprecia- 
ted when we consider that the cliffs do 
not form a single unbroken line of wall ; 
but, on the contrary, they present numer- 
ous salient angles .to the full force of the 
waves. A projecting corner is undermin- 
ed until the superincumbent weight be- 
comes too great, the overhanging mass 
cracks, and, aided perhaps by the power 
of frost, gradually becomes loosened and 
finally topples with a crash into the lake. 

" The same general arched and broken 
line of cuff's borders the coast for a mile 
to the eastward of Sail Rock, where tlie 
most imposing feature in the series is 
reached. This is the Grand Portal — Le 
Ch-and Portail of the voyageurs. The gen- 
eral disposition of the arched openings 
which traverse this great quadrilateral 



mass may, perhaps, be made intelligible 
without the aid of a ground-plan. The 
main body of the structure consists of a 
vast mass of a rectilinear shape, project- 
ing out into the lake about six hundred 
feet, and presenting a front of three hun- 
dred or four hundred feet, and rising to 
a height of about two hundred feet. An 
entrance has been excavated from one 
side to the other, opening out into large 
vaulted passages which communicate with 
the great dome, some three hundred feet 
from the front of the cliff'. The Grand 
Portal, which opens out on the lake, is 
of magnificent dimensions, being about 
one hundred feet in lieight, and one hun- 
dred and sixty-eiglit feet broad at the 
water-level. The distance from the verge 
of the cliff" over the arch to the Avater is 
one hundred and thirty-three feet, leaving 
thirty-three feet for the thickness of the 
rock above the arch itself. The extreme 
height of the cliff' is about fifty feet more, 
making in all one hundred and eighty- 
three feet. 

"It is impossible, by any arrangement 
of words, or by any combination of col- 
ors, to convey an adequate idea of this 
wonderful scene. The vast dimensions 
of the cavern, the vaulted passages, the 
varied eft'ects of the light, as it streams 
through tlie great arch and falls on the 
diff'erent objects, the deep emerald green 
of the water, the unvarying swell of the 
lake, keeping up a succession of musical 
echoes, the reverberations of one's own 
voice coming back with startling effect, 
all these must be seen, and heard, and 
felt, to be full}^ appreciated. 

"Beyond the Grand Portal the cliffs 
gradually diminish in height, and the gen- 
eral trend of the coast is more to the 
southeast ; hence the rock, being less ex- 
posed to the force of the waves, bears 
fewer marks of their destructive action. 
The entrance to Chapel River is at the 
most easterly extremity of a sandy 
beach which extends for a quarter of a 




.if 






W''"'ili' ■j|liri: 




EXCURSION AROUND LAKE SUPERIOR. 



113 



mile, and affords a convenient landing- 
place, while the drift-terrace, elevated 
about thirty feet above the lake-level, be- 
ing aa open pine plain, allbrds excellent 
camping-ground, and is the most central 
and convenient spot for the traveller to 
})iteh his tent, wliile he examines the most 
interesting localities in tlie series which 
occur in this vicinity — to wit, the Grand 
i'ortal and tlie Chattel. {See Enyraving.) 

'•Tlie Chapel — La Chapelle of the roya- 
g<;urs — if not the grandest, is among the 
lijost grotesque of Nature's architecture 
here displayed. Unlike tlie excavations 
before described, which occur at the wa- 
ter's edge, this has been made in the rock, 
at a lieight of thirty or forty feet above 
tJie lake. The interior consists of a, vault- 
ed apartment, winch has not inaptly re- 
ceived the name it bears. An arched 
roof of sandstone, from ten to twenty feet 
in thickness, rests on four gigantic col- 
umns of rock, so as to leave a vaulted 
apartment of irregular shajie, about forty 
feet in diameter, and about the same in 
height. The columns consist of linely 
stratified rock, and have been worn into 
curious shapes. At the base of one of 
them an arched cavity or niche lias been 
cut, to which access is had by a flight of 
steps formed by the projecting strata. 
The disposition of the whole is such as 
to resemble very much the pulpit of a 
church; since there is overhead an arch- 
ed canopy, and in front an opening out 
toward the vaulted interior of the cliapel, 
with a flat tabular mass in front, rising 
to a convenient height for a desk, while 
on the riglit is au isolated block, which 
not • inaptly represents an altar ; so that 
if the whole had been adapted expressly 
for a place of worship, and fashioned by 
the liand of man, it could hardly have 
been arranged more appropriately. It is 

8 



hardly possible to describe the singular 
and unique effect of this extraordinary 
structure ; it is truly a temple of nature — 
'a house not made with hands.' 

"On the west side, and in close prox- 
imity, Cliapel River enters the lake, pre- 
cipitating itself over a rocky ledge ten or 
fifteen feet in height.* 

" It is surprising to see how little the 
action of the stream has worn away the 
rocks which form its bed. There appears 
to have been hardly any recession of the 
cascade, and the rocky bed has been ex- 
cavated only a foot or two since the stream 
assumed its present direction. 

"It seems therefore impossible that the 
river coidd have had any influence in ex- 
cavating the Chapel itself, but its excar 
vation must be referred to a period when 
the waters of the lake stood at a higher 
level. 

" Near the Grand Portal the cliffs are 
covered, in places, with an efflorescence 
of sulphate of lime, in delicate crystalli- 
zations ; this substance not only incrusts 
the walls, but is found deposited on the 
moss which lines them, forming singular 
and interesting specimens, which how- 
ever cannot be transported without losing 
their teauty. 

"At the same place we found numer- 
ous traces of organic life in the form of 
obscure fucoidal markings, which seem to 
be the impressions of plants, similar to 
those described by Prof. Hall as occurring 
in tlie Potsdam sandstone of New York. 
These were first noticed at this place by 
Dr. Locke, in 1847." 

* '^ xVt this fall, according to immemorial us.apc 
amonii the, voyageurn in ascending the lake, the 
miin{feurs da lard, who make their first trip, re- 
ceive baptism ; which consists in givini^ them a 
Severe ducking — a ceremony somewhiat siiJiilar 
to that practised on green-hbrua whea crossing 
the line. 



114 



TRIP THROUGH THE LAKES. 



Lake Superior Reg^ion. 

The following verses were written by 
J". Gr. Whittier, on receiving an eagle's 
quill, when on a visit to Lake Superior in 
1846. 

THE SEER. 

I hear the far-off voyager's horn, 

I see the Yankee's trail — 
His foot on every mountain pass, 

On every stream his sail. 

He's whistling round St. Mary's Falls, 

Upon his loaded train ; 
He's leaving on the Pictured Kocks 

His fresh tobacco stain. 

I see the mattock in the mine, 

The axe-stroke in the dell, 
The olamor from the Indian lodge. 

The Jesuit's chapel bell 1 

I see the swarthy trappers come 

From Mississipi)i"s Springs ; 
And war-chiefs with their painted brows, 

And crests of eagle, wings. 

Behind the scared squaw's birch canoe. 
The steamer smokes and raves ; 

And city lots are staked for sale 
Above old Indian graves. 

By forest, lake and water-fall, 

I see the peddler's show ; 
The mighty mingling with the mean. 

The lofty with the low. 

I hear the tread of pioneers 

Of nations yet to be ; 
The first low wash of waves where soon 

Shall roll a human sea. 

The rudiments of empire here 

Are plastic yet and warm ; 
The chaos of a mighty world 

Is rounding into form 1 

Each rade and jostling ft-agment soon 

Its fitting place shall find — 
The raw materials of a state. 

Its muscle and its mind I 

And, westering still, the star Avhich leads 

The new world in its train, 
Has tipped with fire the icy spears 

Of many a mountain chain. 

Grand Island, 125 miles distant from 
the Saut, is about 10 miles long and 6 
wide, lying close in to the south shore. 



This is a wild and romantic island ; the 
cliffs of sandstone, irregular and broken 
into by the waves, form picturesque cav- 
erns, pillars, and arches of immense di- 
mensions. There are several romantic 
bays and inlets protected from storms, 
which are frequent on this great lake, 
where the brook trout of a large size can 
be caught in quantities. The forests also 
afford a delightful retreat, while all nature 
seems hushed — save by the moaning 
winds and billowy surges of the surround- 
ing waters. 

A few families reside on the south 
shore, facing the mainland, where is a 
clearing of considerable extent. The 
main-shore in full sight, and the Pictured 
Rocks, visible from its eastern shore, alto- 
gether add a charm to this truly Grand 
Island, unsurpassed by no other spot in 
this interesting region. 

MuNisiNG, formerly called Grand Island 
City, lies on the south side of Grand Island 
Bay, here about 3 miles in width. Here is 
a steamboat wharf and hotel, together with 
a few dwellings, being, no doubt, destined 
to become a favorite place of resort, as 
from this place the Pictured Rocks can be 
easily reached by canoes or small boats 
during calm weather. Trout fishing is 
also good in Ann's River, which enters 
Grand Island Bay, and in Miner's River, 
near the Pictured Rocks. 

The bay or harbor is capacious, deep, 
and easy of access from the east or west, 
being 6 miles in length by from 2 to 4 
in width, with a depth of water of 100 
feet and upwards. It is perfectly land- 
locked by hills rising from 100 to 300 feet 
high, and capacious enough to contain the 
entire fleet of the lakes. 

It is proposed to construct a railroad 
from this harbor to the head of Big Bay 
de Noc, the most northern arm of Green 
Bay, only 40 miles distant. 

Miner's Point, a most remarkable head- 
land, lies 6 miles east of Munising, at the 
mouth of a small stream of the same name. 



REMARKABLE PHENOMENA ON LAKE SL'l' EUIOR. 



115 



The action of the waters has here dis- 
integrated portions of the sand-stone 
formation, forming romantic caverns and 
grottoes where the waters of the lake 
penetrate, making strange music in the 
subterranean passages. 




UONUMEXT ROCK. 



MoxuMENT Rock, about one milo west 
of Miner's Point, is another strauf/e freak 
of nature, being an upright column stand- 
ing in full view, near the water's edge, 
elevated some 80 or 100 feet above the 
lake. iSee Engraving.) AU these points 
can easily be reached from Mnnising, ur 
Grand Island, by a sail or row boat. 



Remarkable Plienomena on 
Lake Superior. 

The sudden and singular changes of tlie 
weather on Lake Superior, in connection 
with its healthy influence, during the sum- 
mer and fall months, present one of the 
phenomena of nature which seems almost 
unaccountable. The sun frequently rises 
clear and cloudless, giving indications of 
continued sunshine, when suddenly the 
sky becomes overcast with white, fleecy 
clouds, scudding low and giving out a 
chiUy atmosphere, not unfrequently ac- 
companied with rain, — ihe clouds as sud- 
denly disappear, and a pleasant afternoon 
usually foUows, with light winds. This 
influence, causing a fluctuation of several 
degrees of the thermometer, seems to 
have an injurious eflTect on most kinds 
of fruit and vegetables requiring a warm 
sun throughout the day in order to arrive 
at maturity ; the country a few miles in- 
land, however, being less subject to these 
frequent changes. 

On the Gth of August, I8G0, there oc- 
curred a remarkable phenomenon, as wit- 
nessed on Grand Island Bay, near the 
Pictured Rocks — Lake Superior being here 
about 170 miles wide. During the fore- 
noon of a pleasant summer's day. the wa- 
ter was observed suddenly to fall some 
three or four feet perpendicularly on the 
south shore, then rise in about half an 
hour, as suddenly again to recede and 
rise several times; exposing the bed of 
the lake for a considerable distance where 



116 



TRIP TIIUOUGII THE LAKES. 



the water was shallow, aflfording a fine op- 
portunity to collect pebbles of different 
hues, and precious stones. 

At noon the wind blew moderately from 
the southward, while the thermometer 
ranged at about 74" Fahr. This appa- 
rently calm and pleasant weather was ta- 
ken advantage of by a party of pleasure to 
cross the bay in a sail-boat from Munising 
to Grand Island, 3 miles distant, affording a 
delightful excursion. On looking eastward 
at about 4 o'clock, p. m., a dense fog or 
low cloud was seen rapidly to enter the 
east channel of the bay, from the north- 
ward, rolling on in majestic grandeur, and 
presenting apparently the smoke caused 
by the discharge of a park of artillery, ob- 
scuring every object in the far distance, 
while the headlands within one or two 
miles were distinctly visible. As it ap- 
proached, the thermometer fell several 
degrees, and rain followed, attended with 
lightning and thunder. Soon, however, 
the wind lulled, or entirely ceased, while 
the rain poured down in torrents. The 
mist or fog seemed mostly to ascend as it 
passed over the high lands on the main 
land, and assumed the appearance of 
clouds, while portions remained, in low 
and wet localities, above the forest-trees, 
— presenting altogether a most magnifi- 
cent appearance. The rain-storm and 
cloud effect, after continuing some two 
hours, as suddenly ceased, followed by a 
splendid rainbow, — being the harbinger 
of a pleasant evening and calm weather 
for a time. 

Mackenzie, who wrote in 1789, relates 
a very similar phenomenon, which oc- 
curred at Grand Portage, on Lake Supe- 
rior, and for which no obvious cause could 
be assigned. He says : "The water with- 
diisw, leaving the ground dry which had 
never before been visible, the fall being 
equal to four perpendicular feet, and rush- 
ing back with great velocity above the 
common mark. It continued thus rising 
and falling for several hours, gradually 



decreasing until it stopped at its usual 
height." 

To the mariner these sudden storms 
and fluctuations, accompanied by fog, are 
attended with much danger, more partic- 
ularly if near the land, when the sun and 
all objects in sight suddenly disappear as 
if in darkest night, the terrific noise of 
the waves and wind alone being heard. 
When foUowed by snow tlie danger is 
still more increased, frequently causing 
the most disastrous shipwrecks. In this 
high latitude a perfect calm seldom contin- 
ues but for a short time ; the wind will oc- 
casionally lull, when fitful gusts disturb 
the waters, to be followed by a breeze 
or storm from some quarter of the compass. 

On examining the meteorological record 
kept at Fort Mackinac, about 100 miles 
distant in a southeast direction from Grand 
Island, it was found that the thermome- 
ter ranged at IS"^ Fahrenheit at 2 p. m. 
on the above day ; the wind being from 
the south. At 7 p. m. a heavy rain and 
thunder storm commenced, which lasted 
two hours, the same as on Lake Superior, 
terminating with a gorgeous sunset view, 
exceeded only by tlie magnificent aurora, 
which frequently illuminates the northern 
heavens in this high latitude, or the beau- 
tiful mirage of mid-day, which reflects 
with remarkable distinctness the invisible 
landscape, and vessels floating on the bo- 
som of this vast inland sea. 

How far the receding of the waters 
had to do with the above coming storm, 
must be left to conjecture or further in- 
vestigation — no doubt, however, it caused 
a displacement of water at somt. remote 
parts of the lake, which was almost im- 
mediately felt at other and far distant 
points. So with the vapory clouds which 
suddenly rise over Lake Superior ; they, 
no doubt, being caused by cold currents 
of air from the higher regions or north- 
west, passing over warmer portions along 
the south shore, when immediately a mist 
or fog is created, Avhich ascends in the 



REMARKABLE PHENOMENA ON LAKE SUPERIOR. 



117 



form of clouds into the upper regions; 
not, however, at first verj' far above the 
lake level — tlms givinj? out the cold in- 
tiuence above referred to as peculiar to 
the soutli shore of the lake when the 
northwest winds prevail: this cold in- 
huence being most probably wafted far to 
the east and southward, producing, no 
doubt, an effect on the weather along the 
Atlantic coast several hundred miles to 
the southeast. The northwest winds 
wliich mostly prevail in the States of New 
York and Pennsylvania have a modified 
character, similar to the winds from the 
same quarter passing over the upper 
lakes of Nortli America — affording a cool 
and bracing influence on the human 
system. 

Another remarkable feature in the cli- 
mate of Lake Superior, is its healthy and 
invigorating inftuence on residents and 
invalids suffering from incipient pulmo- 
nary and throat complaints — the sudden 
changes of hot and cold, or wet weather, 
seem to brace the constitution, without 
producing any other injurious eftects than 
rheumatism, when too much exposure is 
endured. 

WhUe the balmy southern clime too 
often disappoints the invalid, this north- 
ern climate, its influence extending west- 
ward toward the Rocky Mountains, seems 
to give strength to tlie respiratory and 
digestive organs — thereby often effecting 
most miraculous and permanent cures, 



without the aid of medicine, other than 
that afforded by nature — pure air and 
water. The intense colds of winter are 
here represented as being far more endu- 
rable than in more southern Lititude?, 
along the Atlantic coast, where damp 
nortlieast storms prevail. 

In Foster and Whitn'"i/s Report on the 
Geology of Lake Superior, the phenome- 
na ()f these fluctuations are elaborately 
discussed; and, for the most part, they 
are found to be the premonition of an ap- 
proaching gale. They remark, that the 
earth may be regarded as surrounded by 
two oceans — one aerial, the other liquid. 
Bj the laws which regulate two fluids 
thus relatively situated, a local distur- 
bance in the one would produce a corre- 
sponding disturbance in the other. 

Every rise or fall of one-twentieth of an 
inch in the mercurial column, would be 
attended with an elevation or depression 
in the surface of the water equal to one 
inch. A sudden change of the atmos- 
pheric pressure over a large body of wa- 
ter would cause a perpendicular rise or 
fall, in the manner of waves, greater tlian 
the mere weight itself, which would prop- 
agate themselves in a series of undula- 
tions from the centre of disturbance. 
Tliese undulations result from an unusual 
disturbance of the atmosphere occurring 
around the margin of the storm, and its 
effects are perceived before the storm ac 
tually breaks. 



Rise and Fall of the Waters of Lake Superior. 



From a series of careful observations 
continued through a period of eight years, 
from 1854 to 1862, by Dr. G. H. Blaker, of 
Marquette, L. S., it has been found that the 
annual rise and fall of the surface of Lake 
Superior ranges between 20 and 28 inches. 
From the first of May, when the snow 
begins to melt freely, until the first of 



September, the surface of the lake level 
continues to rise constantly, about six 
inches a month, until it gains, on an aver- 
age, two feet by the middle of August ; 
— and by the first of September it begins 
to fall, and so continues through the win- 
ter, until about the middle of April The 
permanent rise, however, was found to 



118 



TRIP THROUGH THE LAKES. 



have been about two inches more than the 
fall for the first six years, from 1854 
to end of 1859, thus making a total rise 
of some 12 inches in the lake level at the 
latter period. 

During the years 1860 and 1861, the 
waters of Lake Superior fell about two 
inches annually, making a fall of four 
inches since 1859, at which period they 
were at their highest point. 

During tlie winter of 1861-62, there 
fell at Marquette only four feet and two 
inches of snow, being about one-quarter 
the usual amount, — and for the spring 
months of 1862 there fell only five inches 
of moisture, being about one-half the usual 
quantity. These well-authenticated and 
singular facts, continued to July, 1862, 
show that the waters of Lake Superior at 
Marquette are twenty inches lower than 
they were in 1861 — tlius showing an un- 
usual depression in the waters of this great 
inland sea. 

AVhen thesft interesting observations 
shall have been extended over a longer 
period and at different stations, they will, 
no doubt, solve the mystery which has 
heretofore involved the annual and period- 
ical rise and fall of these great waters in 
obscurity. 

A careful survey of the great lakes by 
a corps of engineers attached to the Topo- 
graphical Bureau is now nearly comple- 
ted, which will give meteorological results 
and tidal observations of the greatest im- 
portance to the mariner, agriculturist, and 
inteUigent traveller. 



- marquette, the county seat of Mar- 
quette county, and a port of entry, is advan- 
tageously situated on the Bay of Marquette, 
in N. lat. 46^ 32', W. long. 87° 41'. The 
harbor is safe and commodious, being fully 
protected from all but northeast winds, 
when vessels are obliged to anchor in the 
bay for safety. The settlement of Mar- 
quette was commenced in July, 1849, and 



incorporated as a village in June, 1859. 
It now contains a court-house and jail; 
1 Episcopal, 1 Methodist, 1 Presbyterian. 
1 Baptist, and I Roman Catholic church; 
4 public-houses, the Marquette IJou-^e and 
Tremont House being the most frequented 
by strangers ; 2 printing-offices ; 1 5 or 20 
stores and storehouses; besides a large 
foundry and macliine-shops of different 
kinds. Population in 1860, 1,665. 

This flourishing town is identified with 
the iron-ore beds in the vicinity, being 
some 12 or 18 miles distant, situated on 
an elevated ridge being known as the 
Iron Mountain. Here are now three ore- 
beds extensively and profitably worked, 
being owned by the Jackson Iron Com- 
pau}', the Cleveland Iron Mining Compa- 
ny, and the Lake Superior Iron Company ; 
each of the above companies have sepa- 
rate docks, from which the ore is shipped 
to the Eastern markets. A railroad ex 
tends from Marquette to the Lake Supe- 
rior mine, 18 miles, affording ample means 
for the transportation of iron ore to the 
place of shipment. The Pioneer Iron 
Works, situated near the Jackson Iron 
Mountain, is a large blast furnace giving 
employment to about 150 workmen. At 
Colhnsville, 3 miles from Marquette, is 
also a blast furnace employing about 100 
liands. At Forrestville, situated on Dead 
River, is another blast furnace. 

The Northern Iron Company, situated at 
Chocolat, 3 miles distant from Marquette, 
are new works of an extensive character, 
being largely engaged in the manufacture 
of pig-iron. In the village are two iron 
foundries for the manufacture of railroad 
car-wheels and other castings. 

The iron business now gives employ- 
ment to above 100 sail- vessels, besides 
several propellers. Steamers of a large 
class, during the season of navigation, 
which usually lasts six months, arri\'e and 
depart almost daily for Detroit, Cleveland, 
Milwaukie, and Chicago, carrying freight 
and passengers. 



EXCURSION AROUND LAKE SUPERIOR. 



119 



Carp and Dead rivers both flow into 
Lake Superior near Marquette, on each 
side of which there are rapids and falls of 
great beauty, attbrding good water-power. 
Chocolate River also flows into the lake 
some two or three miles east of Mar- 
quette, but through a diflerent geological 
formation. 

The small streams in the vicinity abound 
in speckled trout, while the lake is at most 
seasons of the year alive with white-fish, 
and the Mackinac trout of large dimen- 
sions, weighing from 5 to 50 lbs. The 
climate of Marquette and its vicinity is 
celebrated for its purity and healthy influ- 
ence, being the favorite resort of invalids 
and seekers of pleasure. 

Negaunee is a new and thriving settle- 
ment, situated on the line of the railroad, 
1 2 miles from Marquette, and in the im- 
mediate vicinity of the Iron Mountain. 
Here is a population of about 1,000 souls, 
being mostly engaged in working at the 
mines. 



Trout Fi§liiiig. 

Extract from a Marquette Paper of July, 
1862. 

"The chances for taking trout in our 
streams and lakes this season appear to 
be better than ever. Every day we see 
parties of our citizens or visitors starting 
out, armed and equipped with all the im- 
plements necessary and convenient for the 
sport, and returning with satisfied coun- 
tenances and fine strings of 'speckled 
trout.' 

"A considerable quantity have been ta- 
ken about the rocky points that extend 
into the bay and lake, while along the 
Carp, Dead River and smaller streams, 
the sportsman meets with excellent suc- 
cess. 

" To those fond of taking long fishing 
excursions, and enjoying the luxury of 
'camping out,' this country offers extra 
inducements. Various pl»oes, both above 



and below us, on the lake shore, which 
are easily reached by sail-boat, are fre- 
quented by lovers of sport, who always 
return with a good supply of trout. 

"Back in the country are the Esconawba 
River and Lake Michigaumie, both of which 
are witliin a comfortable day's journey 
from the terminus of the railroad. The 
scenery aromid this lake and along the 
river is delightful, which, with the abun- 
dance of fisii to be taken there, well repays 
the trouble of the excursion." 



Bay de ]\oquet and mar- 
quettc Kailroad. 

This road was commenced in 1853, as 
a private company, b}- the late Herman 
B. Ely and his associates, and chartered 
in 1855, under the title of the Iron Moun- 
tain Railroad: finished in 1857 to the 
Lake Superior Iron Mine, 17 miles distant 
from Marquette; passing the Jackson Mine, 
14 miles, and the Glevdarid Mine, 16 miles. 
In 1859 it was consolidated with the Bay 
de Noquet and Marquette Railroad, which 
will be extended to the head of Little Bay 
de Xoquet, situated on the north end of 
Green Bay, a total distance of 70 miles. 
When finished it will form a direct route, 
by means of railroad and steamers, to all 
the ports on Green Bay and Lake Michi- 
gan. This road has a land grant from 
government of six sections of timbered 
land for every mile constructed, amount- 
ing to 420 sections of 640 acres each, or 
268.800 acres, valued at $672,000. 

This is a well-constructed road as far 
as finished, having an ascending grade, 
for twelve miles, overcoming an elevatior^ 
of 850 feet before reaching the Iron Mine&i 
thus facilitating the transportation o( iroi^ 
ore to the port of shipment, where exten-. 
sive piers are constructed (or loading o(' 
vessels engaged in this grcAving aijid im- 
portant trade. Th^ ^moypt parried over- 
the road in 186Q^ ^veyaged ^bou.t 1,50Q 



120 



TRIP THROUGH THE LAKES. 



tons daily, during the season of naviga- 
tion. It has at the present time (1862) in 
use four first-class locomotives and 350 
freight-cars, with a carrying capacity of 
2,500 tons a day. 



On leaving Marquette the coast tends 
north-westward, passing Fresque Isle and 
other bold headlands, the coast here pre- 
senting a rocky, iron-bound appearance 
for many miles, with high hills in the 
distance, being elevated from 800 to 1,000 
feet above the waters of the lake. 

Granite Island, 15 miles north of 
Marquette, is passed on the right, having 
on one side two vertical walls of trap, 20 
feet high and 12 apart, forming a secure 
boat harbor. On the mainland opposite 
is seen Granite Point, rising from 120 to 
130 feet. Due North from the above 
island lies Sianard's Bock, a most danger- 
ous projection discovered by Captain 
Stanard in 1835, while in the employ of 
the American Fur Company, sailing the 
schooner John Jacob Astor. The rock 
may be seen on the direct route of steam- 
ers from Marquette to Manitou Island or 
Copper Harbor. 

The Huron Isles, lying about 20 miles 
east of Portage Entry, numbering five or 
six rocky islands or islets, form a most 
picturesque group, covered in part with a 
stunted growth of trees. 

Huron Bay and Point Abbete are 
next passed, and the upward bound steam- 
er enters a large expanse of water called 
L'Ance, or Keweenaw Bay, extending far 
inland. 

L'Ance is an excellent harbor where is 
a small settlement, situated at the head 
of Keweenaw Bay. A short distance north 
are located a Roman Catholic and Metho- 
dist mission-house and church. The Catli- 
olic being on tlie west shore of the Bay, 
and the Methodist on the east, both are i 
surrounded by Indian tribes and settle- 
ments. This locality, at no distant day, 
must become an important point, being 



favorably situated between the iron and 
oopper regions of Lake Superior. 

Portage Entry, 70 miles above Mar- 
quette, is an important port of entry, here 
being the mouth of the outlet to Portage 
Lake, where stands a light-house to guide 
the mariner. 

The land here is low and the shore un- 
interesting, except being lined with va- 
riegated saudstone, worked into almost 
every variety of shape by the action of 
water. 

The Entry and Lake is an extensive and 
beautiful sheet of water, extending to 
within half a mile of the entire breadth 
of the peninsula of Keweenaw Point, in 
the count}' of Houghton. It receives a 
number of small streams, draining the 
rich copper region of Lake Superior. No 
portion of the south shore of Lake Supe- 
rior exceeds this lake and its vicinity as 
a resort for invalids. 

In the immediate vicinity of the lake 
are found rich deposits of copper, yield- 
ing great returns to the miner and capi- 
talist. 

Houghton, the county seat of Hough- 
ton county, Michigan, and a port of entry, 
is situated on the south side of Portage 
Lake, 14 miles from Portage Entry, where 
its waters commingle with Lake Superior. 
The harbor is land-locked, being pro- 
tected by high hills on both sides. The 
settlement of Houghton was commenced 
in 1854, and incorporated as a village in 
1861. It now contains a court-house and 
jail; 1 Episcopal, 1 Methodist, and 1 Ro- 
man Catholic church; 5 pubhc-houses, 
the Douglass Home being a large and 
well-kept hotel; 10 stores, and several 
warehouses ; 2 steam saw-mills, 2 brew- 
eries, and 2 large stamp-mills using steam 
power. The population of the town is 
estimated at 3,000, being mostly engaged 
in mining operations, while the general 
trade and lumbering aflbrd profitable em- 
ployment to those engaged in the latter 
pursuits. This new and fiourishing town, 



EXCURSION AROUND LAKE SUPERIOR. 



121 



•ying on a side-hill rising 300 or 400 feet, 
is identified with the co}»per mines in it.s 
immediate vicinity. There are several 
mines •worked to a large extent, besides 
others of less note which will, no doubt, 
soon be rendered productive. The min- 
eral range of Keweenaw Point, some 4 
to G miles in widih, extends through all 
this section of country, being as yet only 
partially explored. The Ir^Ie Royal, Hu- 
ron, and Portage, are the principal mines 
worked on the south side of the lake. 

Portage Lake is an irregular body of 
water about 20 miles in length, extend- 
ing nearly across Keweenaw Point to 
within 2 miles of Lake Superior. Steam- 
ers and sail-vessel3 drawing 12 feet can 
pass through Portage Entry, and navi- 
gate the lake with safety. This body of 
water was an old and favorite thorough- 
fare for the Indians, and the Jesuit Fa- 
thers who first discovered and explored I 
tiiis section of country. A canal of two j 
miles in length would render this portage 
route navigable for steamers and sail- 1 
vessels navigating Lake Superior, there- 
by reducing the distance over 100 miles. 
During the winter months the atmosphere 
is very clear and transparent in the vi- j 
cinity of Hougliton, and all through Ke- j 
weenaw Point ; objects can be seen at a 
great distance of a clear day, while sounds 
are conveyed distinctly through the at- 
mosphere, presenting a phenomenon pe- 
culiar to all northern latitudes. This is 
tlie season of health and pleasure to the 
permanent residents. 

Hancock, Houghton county, Michi- 
gan, is situated on the north side of Port- ^ 
age Lake, opposite to the village of Hough- j 
ton, with which it is connected by a steam I 
lorry. The town was first laid out in i 
1.S5S, and now contains about 4,000 in-j 
liabitants, including the mining popula- 
tion on the north side of the lake ; its 
sudden rise and prosperity being identi- 
fied with the rich deposit of native copper, 
in which this section of country abounds. 1 



Tlie site of the village is on a side-hill 
rising from the lake level to a height of 
about 500 feet, where the opening to the 
mines is situated. Here is 1 Congrega 
tional, 1 Methodist, and 1 Roman Catholic 
church ; 3 public-houses, the Mason Uouse 
being a well-kept hotel; a number of 
stores and warehouses, 1 steam saw-mill, 
1 barrel-factory, 1 foundry and machine- 
shop, and other manufacturing establish- 
ments ; also, in the vicinity are 4 exten- 
sive steam stamping-mills worked by the 
different mining companies. The Portage 
Lake Smelting Works is an incorporated 
company, turning out annually a large 
amount of pure merchantal^le copper. 
The business of the company consists of 
fusing and converting the mineral into 
refined metal for manufacturing purposes. 
Lake La Belle, lying on the south- 
east side of Keweenaw Point, near its 
termination, is a beautiful sheet of water, 
its outlet flowing into Bt-te Gris Bay. It 
is about two and a half miles long and half 
a mile wide. In the vicinity of the lake 
are veins of copper ore of a rich quality, 
and it is proposed to commence mining 
operations on a large scale ; also improve 
the navigation of the outlet for steamers, 
thereby affording easy ingress to the 
above lake. 



Keweenaw Poixt * is a large extent 
of land jutting out into Lake Superior, 
from 10 to 25 miles wide and about GO 
miles in length. Tliis section of country 
for upward of 100 miles, running from 
southwest to northeast, abounds in silver 



* " On many maps spelled Keweewaivcona. and 
otherwise. Pronuunct-d l>y our Indians, 'Ki-wi- 
wai-non-injr,' now written and pronounced aa 
above ; meaninff a portage, or [liace where a port- 
ase is made — the whole distance of some eighty 
or ninety miles around the Point being saved by 
entering Portage Lake and toUowing up a small 
stream, leaving a portage of only about a half 
mile to I.,ajce Superior on the other side." — Fos- 
ter and sVhitnei/s Report. 



122 



TRIP THROUGH THE LAKES. 



and copper ores, yielding immense quan- 
tities of the latter ; much of it being pure 
native copper, but often in such large 
masses as to render it almost impossible 
to be separated for the purpose of trans- 
portation. Masses weighing from 1,000 
to 5,000 pounds are often sent forward 
to the Eastern markets. The geological 
formation is very interesting, producing 
specimens of rare beauty and much value. 

Manitou Island lies off" Keweenaw 
Point, on which is a light-house to guide 
the mariner to and from Copper Harbor. 
The island is about 7 miles in length and 
four wide. 

Copper Harbor, Mich., is situated near 
the extreme end of Keweenaw Point, in 
N. lat. 47 «• 30', W. long. 88° 00'; the har- 
bor, although somewhat difficult to enter, 
is one of the best on Lake Superior, being 
distant 250 miles from the Saut Ste. Marie. 
The settlement contains about 200 inhabi- 
tants, a church, a hotel, and two or three 
stores. Fort WilkiTis, formerly an U. S. 
military post, has been converted into a 
hotel, being handsomely situated on Lake 
Fanny Hoe^ about half a mile distant 
from the steamboat landing. In the vicin- 
ity are copper mines wliich have been 
extensively worked, and are well worthy 
of a visit. 

Agate Harbor, 10 miles west of Cop- 
per Harbor, is the name of a small settle- 
ment. This port is not as yet much fre- 
quented by steamers. 

Eagle Harbor, 16 miles west of Cop- 
per Harbor, is a good steamboat landing. 
Here are two churches, a good public- 
house, together with several stores and 
storehouses. Population about 700, be- 
ing mostly engaged in raining. The 
Central, Copper, Falls, Pennsylvania, and 
Amj^gdaloid are the principal working 
copper mines. 

Eagle River Harbor and Village, eight 
miles further, are favorably situated at the 
mouth of a stream of the same name. 
Here are two churches, a well-kept hotel. 



four stores and several storehouses. Po^- j 
ulation 800. This is a thriving settlement, 
it being the outport of the celebrated 
Cliff, or Pittsburgh and Boston, and other 
mines. The copper found in this vicinity 
is of the purest quality, where is found 
silver in small quantities, some of the 
specimens being highly prized. Off this 
harbor the lamented Dr. Houghton was 
drowned, October, 1845, while engaged in 
exploring this section of country : Ke- 
weenaw Point and adjacent country be- 
ing very appropriately named Houghton 
t/^ounty in honor of his memory. 

On the north side of Keweenaw Point 
bold shores extend to near Ontonagon, 
with high lands in the distance, forming 
the rich copper range of this region. 

Oiitoiia^fon, Ontonagon Co., Mich., 
83G miles from the Saut Ste. Marie, is advan- 
tageously situated at the mouth of the 
river of the same name. Tlie river is 
about 200 feet wide at its mouth, with a 
sufficient depth of water over the bar for 
large steamers. Here is being erected 
an extensive pier and breakwater. The 
village contains an Episcopal, a Presby- 
terian, and a Roman Catholic church ; two 
good hotels, the Bigelow House and John- 
son House ; two steam saw-mills, and ten 
or twelve stores and storehouses, and 
about 1,200 inhabitants. 

In this vicinity are located the Minne- 
sota, the National, the Rockland, and 
several other very productive copper 
mines. The ore is found from twelve to 
fifteen miles from the landing, being im- 
bedded in a range of high hills traversing 
Keweenaw Point from N. E. to S. W, for 
about 100 miles. Silver is here found in 
small quantities, beautifully intermixed 
with the copper ore, which abounds in 
great masses. 

A good plank road runs from Ontona- 
gon to near the Adventure Mine, and 
other mines, some twelve or fourteen 
miles distant, where commences the cop- 
per range of hiUa. A small steamer also 



EXCURSION AROUND LAKE SUPERIOR. 



123 



runs on Ontonagon River to near the 
Minnesota and i^ational Mines, where is 
a nourishing settlement inhabited by- 
miners. 



The Ontonagon River is thus beautifully 
described by Robert Alan, Esq., 

To tlie Oiitonag^oii River. 

Sweet river, on thy silvery tide 

The sable warriors no more glide; 

Along ttiy wild and wooded shore 

Their kindling watch-fires blaze no more. 

"Where'er thou roam'st by dale or hill 

Thy banks are silent now and still, 

As if thy waves, since time began, 

Had ne'er been stained by savage man. 

Unlike the tide of human time. 

Which keeps each grief, retains each crime. 

And deeper, as it downward flows. 

Is stained with past and present woos. 

Flow on, thou gentle river, flow 

Through summer's rain and winter s snow ; 

May Indian war-whoops no more wako 

Thy echoes, as thou seek'st the lake. 

But peaceful lovers by thy stream 

On future joys and pleasures dream. 

St. Andrbw. 



Population 


of Ontonagon 


Coui 


It J, 1§60. 




Towns, &c. 


Males. 


Females. 


Total. 


Algonquin, 


46 


31 


77 


Flint Steel, 


20 


10 


30 


Greenland, 


105 


67 ; 

57 f 


9Qfi 


Maple Grove, 


67 


£iX}\j 


Minnesota, 


660 


184 


844 


National, 


246 


90 


336 


Nebraska, 


34 


22 


56 


Ontonagon, 


650 


498 


1,148 


Pewabic, 


71 


38 


109 


Rockland, 


187 


95 


282 


Rockland Mine, 


206 


41 


253 


Rosendale, 


344 


251 


595 


Superior, 


15 


9 


24 


Webster, 


261 


79 


340 


Williamsburg, 


68 


30 


98 



Total, 4,488 

The Porcupine Mountain, lying some 
15 or 20 miles west of Ontonagon, is a bold 
headland that can distinctly be seen at a 
great distance, rising some 1,300 feet above 
the lake surface. 



LAKE SUPERIOR: 

ITS CLIMATE AND HEALTH-RESTORING INFLUENCE. 
[Extract from a letter dated Makquettk (Mich.), September 1, 1864.] 



" The number of visitors to this health- 
restoring region during the past summer 
has been very great, and I wish to record 
my testimony of its benefit to myself and 
others. The great mistake, however, is, 
with most invalids, that they do not come 
early enough in the season, and remain 
too short a period to feel the full effects 
on the system ; still the beneticial results 
are usually felt immediately on arriving 
in this region. 

" The following statement, made by a 
physician, may be relied on as strictly cor- 
rect: 



" Dr. , of the city of Philadelphia, 

was induced to leave home for the benetit 
of his health, being reduced in physical 
strength from over-application to his 
practice, and the heated weather of the 
past summer producing muscular debility, 
arterial acceleration of the system, loss of 
appetite and nervous irritability, causing 
restless and disturbed sleep and occasional 
confusion of the mental faculties. 

"On the 12th of August, 1863, ho 
started for Cleveland, Ohio, and proceed- 
ed directly by steamer to Marquette, Lake 
Superior, where lie Mrivci on tlio 16th of 



124 



TRIP THROUGH THE LAKES. 



the same month. The voyage was con- 
tinued to Ontonagon and thence back to 
Marquette, where he remained until the 
present date. 

" The result of this short voyage and 
stay on the lakes was truly gratifying, he 
being greatly invigorated in general health, 
and now able to endure any amount of 
fatigue desirable — fishing, hunting, or ex- 
ploring the mines in this rich mineral re- 
gion, and at all times finding the atmo- 
sphere truly invigorating, producing 
buoyancy of spirits. In his opinion the 
atmosphere of Lake Superior and the 
surrounding shore is well calculated to 
restore those who are in any way ener- 
vated by unhealthy climate or disease ; 
the belief being, in his opinion, that the at- 
mosphere of thisnortliern region possesses 
an excess of oxygen, together with a pe- 
culiar dryness and lightness which admi- 
rably adapts it to the purposes of free 
respiration. The lowness of the temper- 
ature, ranging from 40' to 70' Fahrenheit 
during the summer months, although not 
tending to provoke colds or coughs, causes 
a disposition to sleep as easily and quietly 
as a healthy babe in its cradle. 

" Invalids suffering from asthma, bron- 
chial, pulmonary affections, or general 
debility, are directly relieved and invig- 



orated — these beneficial results being ac- 
knowledged by all patients who give the 
wonderful recuperating influence of this 
climate a fair trial. It is not unusual for 
invalids to gain half a pound of flesh 
daily, and in the summer of 18G2 an 
officer from the army of West Tennessee, 
on furlough on account of sickness, stated 
that he had gained thirty pounds within 
as many days, although his strength had 
not as yet returned, but no doubt he only 
wanted time to feel the full recuperating 
effects of the Lake Superior region. 

" Although the winters are long, they 
are considered the most healthy period 
of the year, the extreme cold not being 
greater than is sometimes felt in the 
Northern and Eastern States near the 
seaboard. There is usually a heavy fall 
of snow, often continuing daily, at inter- 
vals for some weeks, with but little thaw- 
ing weather. The cases of invalids being 
relieved, and taking up their permanent 
residence in this region, is yearly in- 
creasing, they being living witnesses of 
its health-restoring qualities. 

" I may add my own individual expe- 
rience to the above, during the past eight 
years, having four times visited Lake Su- 
perior. Yours, &c., 

"J. D." 



La Pointe, 77 miles west of Ontonagon, 
situated on the south end of Madeline 
Island, the largest of the Ajiostle Islands, 
is one of the oldest settlements on Lake 
Superior ; it was first peopled by the 
French Jesuits and traders in 1680, being 
420 miles west of the Saut Ste. Marie, 
which was settled about the same time. 
The mainland and islands in this vicinity 
have been for many ages the favorite 



abode of the American Indian, now lin- 
gering and fading away as the country is 
being opened and settled by the white 
race. 

The village now contains 300 inhabi- 
tants, most of whom are half-breeds and 
French. Here is an old Roman Catholic 
church, and one Methodist church ; 2 ho- 
tels, 2 stores, and several coopering estab- 
lishments for the making of fish-barrels. 



EXCURSION AROUND LAKE SUPERIOR. 



125 



The harbor and steamboat landing are on 
the south end of the island, wliere may 
usually be seen fishing-boats and other 
craft navigating this part of Lake Superior. 

Wheat, rye, barley, oats, peas, potatoes 
and other vegetables, are raised in large 
quantities. Apples, cherries, gooseberries 
and currents are raised in the gardens at 
La Pointe. The wild fruits are plums, cran- 
berries, strawberries, red raspberries, and 
whortleberries. The principal forest-tntes 
on the islands are maple, pine, hemlock, 
birch, poplar, and cedar trees. 

Bayfield, capital of La Poiute Co., Wis., 
is favorably situated on the southern 
shore of Lake Superior, 80 miles east of 
its western terminus, and 3 miles west of 
La Pointe, being 80 miles west of Onton- 
agon. The harbor is secure and capa- 
cious, being protected by the Apostle 
Islands, lying to the northeast. The 
town plot rises from 60 to 80 feet above 
the waters of the lake, affording a splen- 
did view of the bay, the adjacent islands 
and headlands. Its commercial advan- 
tages are surpassed by no other point on 
Lake Superior, being on the direct route 
to St. Paul, Minn., and the Upper Missis- 
sippi. Here are situated a Presbyterian, 
a Methodist, and a Roman Catholic church; 
2 hotels, 4 stores, 2 warehouses, 1 steam 
saw-mill, and several mechanics' shops. 
Population in 1860, 300. 

The Hudson and Bayfield Railroad, 164 
miles in length, has been surveyed and 
will most probably be completed within 
a few years, there being a favorable land 
grant conceded to the company. This 
will afford a speedy route to St. Paul and 
other ports on the Mississippi River. 

La Pointe Bay, on the west side of 
which is situated the port of Bayfield, is a 
large and safe body of water, being pro- 
tected from winds blowing from every 
point of the compass. The shores of the 
islands and mainland are bold, while the 
harbor affords good anchorage for the 
wholo fleet of the lakes. 



The Indian Agency for the Chippewa 
tribe of Indians residing on the borders 
of Lake Superior, have their headquarters 
at Bayfield. The annual annuities are 
usually paid in August of each year, when 
large numbers flock to the Agency to ob- 
tain their pay in money, provisions, and 
clothing. 

Ashland, 12 miles south of La Pointe, at 
the head of Chagwamegou Bay, is another 
new settlement no doubt destined to rise 
to some importance, it having a very spa- 
cious and secure harbor. 

Maskeg River, a considerable stream, 
the outlet of several small lakes, enters 
Lake Superior about 15 miles east of Ash- 
land ; some 10 miles farther eastward en- 
ters Montreal River, forming the boun- 
dary, in part, between the States of Mich- 
igan and Wisconsin, 

The Twelve Apostles' Isles consist 
of the Madeline, Cap, Line, Sugar, Oak, 
Otter, Bear, Rock, Cat, Iron wood. Outer, 
and Presque Isle, besides a few smaller 
islands, being grouped together a short 
distance off the mainland, presenting du- 
ring the summer months a most picuresque 
and lovely appearance. Here are to be 
seen clay and sandstone chffs rising from 
100 to 200 feet above the waters, while 
most of the islands are clothed with a rich 
foliage of forest-trees. 



The Twelve Apostles' Islands. 

The follo^\ing description of these ro- 
mantic islands is copied from Owen^s Geo- 
logical Survey of Wisconsin, &c. 

" When the waters of Lake Superior 
assumed their present level, these islands 
were doubtless a part of the promontory, 
which I have described as occupying the 
space between Chagwamegon Bay and 
Brute River. They are composed of 
drift-hills and red clay, resting on sand- 
stone which is occasionaUy visible. In the 
lapse of ages, the winds, waves, and cur- 



126 



TRIP THROUGH THE LAKES. 



rents of the lakes cut away channels in 
these soft materials, and finally separated 
tiio lowest parts of the promontory into 
islands, and island-rocks, now twenty- 
three in number, which are true outliers 
of the drift and sandstone. 

" At a distance they appear like main- 
land, with deep bays and points, gradually 
becoming more elevated to the westward. 
^ lie an Ohene,' or Oak Island, which is 
next the Detour (or mainland), is a pile 
of detached drift, 250 or 300 feet high, 
and is the highest of the group. Made- 
line, ' Wau-ga-ba-me' Island, is the lar- 
gest (on which lies La Pointe), being 13 
miles long, from northeast to southwest, 
and has an average of 3 miles in breadth. 
"Muk-quaw" or Bear Island, and "Esh- 
quagendeg" or Outer Islands, are about 
equal in size, being six miles long and two 
and a half wide. 

" They embrace in all, an area of about 
400 square miles, of which one-half is 
water. The soil is in some places good, 
but the major part would be difficult to 
clear and cultivate. The causes to which 
I have referred, as giving rise to tliickets 
of evergreens along the coasi of the lake, 
operate here on all sides, and have covered 
almost the whole surface with cedar, 
birch, aspen, hemlock, and pine. There 
are, however, patches of sugar-tree land, 
and natural meadows. 

" The waters around the islands afford 
excellent white fish, trout, and siskowit, 
which do not appear to diminish after 
many years of extensive fishing for the 
lower lake markets. For trout and sis- 
kowit, which are caught with a line in 
deep water, the best ground of the 
noigliborhood is off Bark Point or ' Point 
Keorce' of the French. Speckled or 
brooli: trout are also taken in all the small 
streams. 

'• That portion of the soil of the islands 
fit for cultivation, produces potatoes and 
all manner of garden vegetables and roots 
in great luxuriance. In the flat wet 



parts, both the soil and climate are favor- 
able to grass ; and the crop is certain and 
stout. Wheat, oats, and barley do well 
on good soil when well cultivated. 

"In regard to health, no portion of the 
continent surpasses the Apostle Islands. 
In the summer months they present to 
the residents of the South the most cool 
and delightful resort that can be imagined, 
and for invalids, especially such as are 
affected in the lungs or liver, the uniform 
bracing atmosphere of Lake Superior pro- 
duces the most surprising and beneficial 
effects." 



Healthy Influence of Lake 
Superior. 

No better evidence can be given of the 
healthy climate of the Lake Superior re- 
gion than the following extracts from let- 
ters, written by well-known individuals : 

"Bayfield, July 28th, 1860. 
^^Dear Sir : — Perhaps it would be inter- 
esting to you to state, in a few words, the 
happy effects that this climate has pro- 
duced for me. 

"Previous to my coming here I consulted 
with three physicians in Philadelphia, 
one in the central part of Pennsylvania, 
one in Washington, D. C, and one in 
Georgetown, D. C. It was the opinion of 
all that consumption was tightening her 
grasp upon me, and that soon I would be 
laid in the grave. Under medical advice 
I made use of an inhaling apparatus, drank 
cod-liver oil and whiskey, but aU without 
any beneficial results. Through the ad- 
vice of friends, and in hopes of saving my 
life, I came to this place, June 6th, 1857, 
bringing with me three gallons of cod- 
liver oil and three gallons of old rye 
whiskey. This bracing atmosphere seem- 
ed to give me immediate relief, and in a 
short time it seemed as if a heavy load 



EXCURSION AROUND LAKE SUPERIOR. 



127 



was removed from my chest. I used the 
cod-liver oil in feed for young chickens 
and greasinj^ my boots, and gave the 
most of the whiskey away. I am now 
(three y ^ars after my arrival here) enjoy- 
ing excellent health. 

"Respectfully yours, 

"J.H.N." 



Bronchial, or Throat Disease. 



Rev. W- 



L resided in Malone, 

Franklin county, New York, during the 
year 1850, where he first was troubled by 
the hronchicd disease, which led to bleed- 
ing of the throat. From Malone he re- 
moved to Fairfield county, Connecticut, in 
1852, near Long Island Sound, where the 
disease increased in virulence, assuming an 
alarming character. In 1855 he removed 
to Syracuse, New York, where he con- 
tracted a remittent fever, without being 
benefited in regard to his throat disease. 
lu 1858 lie visited Europe for the benefit 
of his health, without his throat disease 
being benefited, although he improved 
in f eneral health. In August, 1859, he 
renroved to Eagle River, Michigan, situ- 
ated on the south shore of Lake Superior, 
where he gradually improved in health ; 
but on moving a few miles in the interior, 
near one of the copper mines, his health 
rapidly improved, and a permanent cure 
was eflfected, as he supposes, by pure and 
bracing air — for which this whole section 
of country is justly celebrated. 

Dated, on board steamer North Star, 
July, 1860. 



On proceeding from La Pointe west- 
ward, the steamer usually passes around 
Point de Tour, ten miles north.^nd enters 
Fond du Lac, a noble bay situated at the 
head of Lake Superior. It may be said 
to be 50 miles long and 20 miles wide, 
abounding in good fishing-grounds. 



Superior, or Superior City, Douglass 
county, Wisconsin, is most advantageous- 
ly situated on a bay of Superior, at tlio 
west end of the lake, near the rac^uth of 
St. Louis River. Here are a church, two 
hotels, and ten or fifteen stores and store- 
houses, and about 1,000 inhabitants. A 
small river, called the Nemadji, runs 
through Superior, and enters into St. 
Louis Bay. Perhaps no place on Lake 
Superior has commercial advantages equal 
to this town ; its future in magnified al- 
most beyond conception. The St. Croix 
and Superior Raiiroad is proposed to ter- 
minate at this place, extending south- 
ward to Hudson, on the St. Croix River, 
about 140 miles. Another railroad is pro- 
posed to extend westward to the Sa k 
Rapids, on the Upper Mississippi, either 
from this place or Portland, Minn. 

DISTANCES FROM FOND DU LAC TO ST. PAUL, MINN. 

Fund DU Lac (St Louis Kiver) Miles. 

Pokagetna. {Portage) 75 

Falls St. Ciioix (Oif/^^) 40 115 

Marine Mills, (iS'^etwi&txii) 19 134 

Stillwater. " 11 145 

St. Paul {Stage) IS 103 

Distance from Superior City to St. 
Cloud (Sauk Rapids), by proposed rail- 
road route, 120 miles. St. Cloud to Sr. 
Paul, 76 miles. Total, 196 mUes. 

distances from superior city to PKMBINA, MINN. 

Superior : Miles. 

Crow Wing 80 

Otter Tail Lake TO 1.50 

Uice Itiver 74 224 

Sand Hills Kivi-r... 70 2y4 

tJrand Fork (Red lliver) 40 334 

Pembina 80 414 

From St. Paul to Pembina, via Crow Wing, 464 m. 

Fond du Lac, St. Louis county, Minn., is 
situated on St. Louis River, 20 miles above 
its entrance into Lake Superior. Vessels 
of a large class ascend to this place, being 
within four miles of tiie St. Louis Falls, 
having a descent of about 60 feet, aflbrd- 
ing an immense water-power. Here are 
sandstone and slate quarries,, from which 



128 



TRIP THROUGH THE LAKES. 



Btone and slate are quarried, and exten- 
sively used for building purposes. Iron 
and copper ore abound in the vicinity. 
These advantages bid fair to mal<e this 
point a mart of commerce and manufac- 
ture. 

St. Louis Eiver. flo^\'ing into the S. W. 
end of Lake Superior, is a large and im- 
portant stream, and is navigable for steam- 
ers and lake craft for upward of 20 miles 
from its mouth. Above the falls (where 
the water has a descent of 60 feet, pre- 
senting a beautiful appearance), the rivei 
is navigable for canoes and small craft for 
about 80 miles farther. This river is the 
recipient of tlie waters of several small 
lakes lying almost due north of its outlet, 
its head waters flowing south from near 
Rainy Lake. 

Portland, St. Louis county, Minn., ad- 
vantageously situated at the extreme west 
end of Lake Superior, seven miles N. W. 
from Superior City, is a place of growing 
importance, where is a good steamboat 
landing, with bold shore. This is the cap- 
ital of the county, and bids fair to be a 
successful competitor with Superior City 
for the carrying trade of the Great West 
and Pacific coast. Along the shore of the 
lake northward are to be seen bold sandy 
bluffs and highlands, supposed to be rich 
in mineral M'ealth. 

Bellville, ^linn., is a new settlement, 
situated on the lake shore, 4 or 5 miles 
north of Portland. 

Clifton, St. Louis Co., Minn., situated 11 
miles N. E. of the head of Lake Superior, 
is a new settlement. In the vicinity are 
rich copper mines and good farming lands. 

Buchanan is another new settlement, 
situated northeast of Clifton, possessing 
similar advantages. 

Burlington is a new settlement, situ- 
ated near Agate Bay. 

Encampment is the name of a river, 
island, and village, where is a good har- 
bor, the mouth of the river being pro- 
tected by the island. On the river, near J 



its entrance into the lake, are falls afford- 
ing fine water-power. Cliffs of green- 
stone are to be seen, rising from 200 to 
300 feet above the water's edge, presenting 
a handsome appearance. To the north of 
Encampment, along the lake shore, abound 
porphyry and greenstone. This locality 
is noted for a great agitation of the mag 
netic needle ; the depth of water in the 
vicinity is too great for vessels to anchor ; 
the shores being remarkably bold, and in 
some places rising from 800 to 1,000 feet 
above the water. 

Hiawatha is another new settlement, 
situated on jhe west shore of Lake Su- 
iperior, where are found copper ore and 
other valuable minerals, precious stones, 
etc. 

Beaver Bay, on the N. W. lake shore, 
at the mouth of -Beaver River, affords h 
good harbor, where is a small settlement. 

Grand Portage, Minn., advantageously 
situated on a secure bay, near the mouth 
of Pigeon River, is an old station of the 
American Fur Company. Here are a Ro- 
man Catholic Mission, a block-house, and 
some 1 2 or 1 5 dwellings. Mountains from. 
800 to 1,000 feet are here seen rising ab- 
ruptly from the water's edge, presenting 
a bold and sublime appearance. 

PiGSON Bay and River f5rms the north 
west boundary between the United States 
and Canada, or the Hudson Bay Compa- 
ny's territory. Pigeon River is but a 
second-class stream, and by its junction 
with Arrow River continues the boundary 
through Rainy Lake and River to the Lake 
of the "Woods, where the 49tli degree of 
north latitude is reached. The mouth of 
Pigeon River is about 48 degrees north 
latitude, and 89 degrees 30 minutes west 
from Greenwich. 

Along the whole west shore of Lake 
Superior, from St. Louis River to Pigeon 
River, are alternations of metamorphosed 
schists and sandstone, with volcanic grits 
and other imbedded traps and porphyry, 
with elevations rising from 800 to 1,200 



EXCURSION AROUND LAKE SUPERIOR. 



X29 



feet above the lake, often presenting a 
grand appearance. 

Isle Roy ale, Houghton Co., Mich., be- 
ing about 45 miles in length from N. E. 
to S. W., and from 8 to 12 miles in width, 
is a rich and important island, abounding 
in copper ore and other minerals, and 
also precious stones. The princii^al har- 
bor and only settlement is on Siskowit 
Bay, being "on the east shore of the island, 
about 50 miles distant from Eagle Harbor, 
on the main shore of Michigan. 

The other harbors are — Washington 
Harbor on the southwest, Todd's Harbor 
on the west, and Rock Harbor and Ciiip- 
pewa Harbor on the northeast part of 
the island. In some places on the west 
are perpendicular clifts of green-stone, 
very bold, rising from the water's edge, 
while on the eastern shore conglomerate 
rock or coarse sandstone abounds, with 
occasional stony beach. On this coast 
are many islets and rocks of sandstone, 
rendering navigation somewhat danger- 
ous. Good fishing-grounds abound all 
around this island, which will, no doubt, 
before many years, become a favorite 
summer resort for the invalid and sports- 
man, as well as the scientific tourist. 

Siskowit Lake is a considerable body 
of water lying near the centre of the 
island, which apparently has no outlet. 
Other small lakes and picturesque inlets 
and bays abound in all parts of the 
MdLud. Hills, rising from 300 to 400 
feet above the waters of the lake, exist 
in many localities throughout the island, 
whic is indented by bays and inlets. 



Northern ISliore of I^ake Su- 
perior. 

Extract from Report o^ the Geology of the 
Lake Superior Country^ by Foster and 
Whitney: 

NoRTUERN Shore. — "Beginning at 
Pigeon liav, the boundary between the 
9 



United States and the British Possessions 
(north latitude 48''), we find the eastern 
portion of the peninsula abounds with 
bold rocky clifl's, consisting of trap and 
red granite. 

"The Falls of Pigeon River, eighty or 
ninety feet in height, are occasioned by a 
trap dyke which cuts through a series of 
slate rocks highly indurated, and very 
similar in mineralogical characters to the 
old graywacke group. Trap dykes and 
interlamifiated masses of traps were ob- 
served in the slate near the falls. 

" The base of nearly all the ridges and 
clifls between Pigeon River and Fort Wil- 
liam (situated at the mouth of Kaministe- 
quoi River, the western boundary of Uj)- 
per Canada) is made up of these slates, 
and the overlaying trap. Some of the low 
islands exhibit only the gray grits and 
slates. Welcome Islands, in Thunder Bay, 
display no traps, although, in the distance, 
they resemble igneous products, the joints 
being more obvious than the jjlanes of 
stratification, thus giving a rude semi- 
columnar aspect to the clifl's. 

"At Prince's Bay, and also along the 
chain of Islands which lines the coast, in- 
cluding Spar, Victoria, and Pie islands, the 
slates with the crowning traps are admira- 
bly displayed. At the British and North 
American Company's works the slates are 
traversed by a heavy vein of calc-spar 
and amethystine quartz, yielding gray sul- 
phuret and pyritous copper and galena. 
From the vein where it cuts the overlay- 
ing trap on the main shore, considerable 
silver has been extracted. 

"At Thunder Cape, the slates form one 
of the most picturesque headlands on the 
whole coast of Lake Superior. They are 
made up of variously colored beds, such 
as compose the upper group of Mr. Logan, 
and repose in a nearly horizontal position. 
These detrital rocks attain a thickness of 
nearly a thousand feet, and are crowned 
with a sheet of trappean rocks three hun- 
dred feet in thickness. 



130 



TRIP THROUGH THE LAKES. 



"At L'Anse a la Bouteille (opposite 
the Slate Islands, on the north shore of 
Lake Superior) the slates reappear, with 
the granite protruding through them, and 
occupy tlie coast for lifteen miles : numer- 
ous dykes of greenstone, bearing east and 
west, are seen cutting the rocks verticaDy. 
The Slate Islands form a part of this group, 
and derive their name from their geologi- 
cal structure. 

"They are next seen, according to Mr. 
Logan, for about seven miles on each side 
of the Old Pick River. Near Otterhead a 
gneissoidal rock forms the coast, which 
presents a remarkably regular set of strata 
in which the constituents of sienite are 
arranged in thin sheets and in a higWy 
crystalline condition. From this point to 
the Michipicoten River the slates and 
granite occupy alternate reaches, along 
the coast, for the distance of fifty miles. 
' With the exception of a few square miles 
of the upper trap of gargantua, these two 
rocks appear to hold the coast all the way 
to the vicinity of Pointe aux Mines, at the 
extremity of which they separate from the 
shore, maintaining a nearly straight south- 
easterly line across the Batchewanung Bay, 
leaving the trap of Mamainse between them 
and the lake. Thence they reach the north- 
ern part of Gonial s Bay, and finally attain 
the promontory of Gros Cap, where they 
constitute a moderately bold range of 
hills, running eastwardly toward Lake 
Huron.' "* 



Fislieries of Lake ISuperior. 

Good fishing-grounds occur all along 
the north shore of Lake Superior, afford- 
ing a bountiful supply of white-fish, Mack- 
inac trout, and many other species of the 
fiimy tribe. On the south shore there 
are fisheries at White-Fish Point, Grand 

* Cn-.u..1i;ui r.tporU lS4<>-'47. 



I Island, near the Pictured Eocks, Kewee- 
naw Point, La Pointe, and Apostles' 
Islands, and at different stations on Isle 
Royale, where large quantities are taken 
and exported; but there are no reUable 
statistics as to the number of men em- 
ployed or the number of barrels exported. 
Between the head of Keweenaw Point 
and the mouth of the Ontonagr>n River, 
considerable quantities of fish are taken, 
for which there is a ready market at the 
mining stations. In addition to the white 
fish and Mackinac trout, the siskowit is 
occasionally taken. Its favorite resort, 
however, is the deep water in the vicinity 
of Isle Royale. 

Lake Superior Trout-Fishing in Win- 
ter. — The Lake Superior Journal says: 

" Angling through the ice to a depth of 
thirty fathoms of water is a novel mode 
of fishing somewhat peculiar to this pecu- 
liar region of the world. It is carrying 
the war into fishdoni with a vengeance, 
and is denounced, no doubt, in the com- 
munities on the bottom of these northern 
lakes as a scaly piece of warfare. The 
large and splendid salmon-trout of these 
waters have no peace ; in the summer 
they are enticed into the deceitful meshes 
of the gill-net, and in the winter, when 
they hide themselves in the deep caverns 
of the lakes, with fifty fathoms of water 
above their heads, and a defence of ico 
two or three feet in thickness on the top 
of that, they are tempted to destruction 
by the fatal hook. 

" Large numbers of these trout are 
caught every winter in this way on Lake 
Superior ; the Indian, always skilled in 
the fishing business, knows exactly where 
to find them and how to kill them. The 
whites make excursions out on the lake 
in pleasant weather to enjoy this sport. 
Tlicre is a favorite resort for both fish and 
fishermen near Gros Cap, at the entrance 
of Lake Superior, through the rockj gate- 
way botweeii Gros (.'ajj and Point Iroquois, 
about 18 miles ;ibov'^ the Sauu and many 



EXCURSION AROUND LAKE SUPERIOR. 



131 



a large trout, at this point, is pulled up 
from its warm bed at the bottom of the 
lake, in winter, and made to bite the cold 
ice in tliis upper world. To see one of 
these fine fish, four or five feet in length, 
and weighing half as much as a man, 
floundering on the snow and ice, weltering 
and freezing to death in its own blood, 
oftentimes moves the heart of the fisher- 
man to expressions of pity. 

"The modus operandi in this kind of 
great trout-fishing is novel in the extreme, 
and could a stranger to the business over- 
look at a distance a party engaged in the 
sport, he would certainly think they were 
mad, or each one making foot-races against 
time. A hole is made through the ice, 
smooth and round, and the fisherman drops 
down his large hook, baited with a small 
herring, pork, or other meat, and when he 
ascertains the right depth, he waits — with 
fisherman's luck — some time for a bite, 
wbich in this case is a pull all together, for 
the fisherman throws the line over his 
shoulder, and walks from the hole at the 
top of his speed till the fish bounds out 
on the ice. "We have known of as many 
as fifty of these splendid trout caught in 
this way by a single fisherman in a single 
day : it is thus a great source of pleasure 
and a valuable resource of food, especially 
in Lent, and the most scrupulous anti-pork 
believers might here * down pork and up 
fidh' without any offence to conscience." 



liist of Vessels Liost in the 
L<ake Superior Trade. 

Since the discovery of copper in the 
Upper Peninsula, in 1845, and the com- 
mencement of the Lake Superior steamer 
and vessel trade, many craft engaged in 
the trade have been lost. Previous to 
the discovery of copper, there was no 
other trade but that in furs, and one of 
the fur-trading vessels was lost — the 



John Jacob Astor, Wu have compiled 
the following table, which will be found 
of interest to those connected with the 
Lake Superior copper trade: — 



Name of Vessel lost. Value. 

Schoonc-r Merchant $4,000 

Propeller Goliath. . . ." 18,000 

Steamer Ben Franklin.. .15,000 

Propeller Monticello 30,000 

Schooner Siskowit 1,000 

Propeller Independence. .12,000 

Stcumer Albany 30,000 

Propeller Peninsula 18,000 

Steamer E. K. Collins. . .100.000 

Steamer Baltimore 15,000 

Steamer Superior 15,000 

Propeller B. L. Webb 50,000 

Propeller City of Superior.50,000 
Propeller Indiana 8,000 



Vmliie Cargo. 
$2,000 
18,000 

4,000 

10,000 

500 

18,000 

2,500 
12,000 

1.500 

4,000 
10.000 
15,000 
25,000 

2,500 



Year 
1847 
1847 
1850 
1851 

18.53 
1853 
18i>4 
1854 
1855 
1858 
1856 
1857 
1853 



$366,000 $125,000 
—making a grand total of $491,000. 

Since the above Table was compiled the 
following losses have occurred in the 
Lake Superior trade : 

Steamer Arctic, wrecked on Lake Supe- 
rior, June, 1860. 

Steamer Grazelle, wrecked on Lake Su- 
perior, 1860. 

Steamer Elgin, lost on Lake Michigan, 
September 7, 1860. 

Steamer North Star, burnt at Cleveland, 
February, 1862. 

The loss of hfe by the accidents given 
above is, as near as can be ascertained, 
as follows : — 

Schooner Merchant 18 

Propeller Independence 3 

Steamer E. K. CoUins 20 

Steamer Superior 54 

Steamer Lady Elgin 350 

Steamer Sunbeam 35 



Total. 



,480 



Steamer Sunbeam lost in a gale on Lake Supe- 
rior, Aug. 28, 1863. 



132 



TRIP THROUGH THE LAKES. 



Ttae l<akes--L<aud of tlie Free. 

Columbia's shores are wild and wide, 

Columbia's Lakes are grand, 
And rudely planted side by side, 

Her forests meet the eye ; 
But narrow must those shores be made, 

And low Columbia's hills, 
And low her ancient forests laid, 

TS.re freedom leaves her fields; 
For 'tis the land where, rude and wild, 
tthe played her gambols when a child. 

And deep and wide her streams that flow 

Impetuous to the tide. 
And thick and green the laurels grow 

On every river side; 
But should a trans-Atlantic host 

Pollute our waters fair. 
We'll meet them on the rocky coast, 

And gather laurels there ; 
For O, Columbia's sons are brave, 
And free as ocean's wildest wave. 

The gale that waves her mountain pine 

Is fragrant and serene. 
And never brighter sun did shine 

Than lights her valleys green ; 
But putrid must those breezes blow, 

'The sun must set in gore, 
Ere footsteps of a foreign foe 

Imprint Columbia's shore ; 
For O, her sons are brave and free, 
Their breasts beat high with Liberty. 



The l<aiid of Liake and 
River. 

Composed by Dr. Laycock, of Woodstock, 
C. W. — A Canadian Song. 

The Land of Lake, River, and Forest wide. 
Where Niagara plunges in splendor and pride 
O'er the trembling cliffs her precipitous tide ; 
Know ye the land f 
'Tis a glorious land I 
And the land is our own dew home 



The land which nor Arts nor Industry graced, 
Where the bountiful seasons ran all to waste, 
T 11 the Briton the Savage and Sluggard dis- 
placed ; 

Know ye the land, «fec. 



The land where the Saxon, the Gaul, and the 

Celt. 
The first glow of patriot brotherhood felt. 
And forgetting old feuds in amity dwelt ; 
Know ye the land, &c. 

The land unpolluted by Despot or Slave, 
Where justice is done on the Dastard and Knave, 
Where nonor is paid to the Wise and the Brave : 
Know ye the land, Ac. 

The land where the Teacher is honored and 

sought ; 
Where the Schools are all busy, the children all 

taught ; 
Where the Thinker, unfettered, can utter hit 

thought ; 

Know ye the land, &c. 



The land where the Farmer is Lord of the Soil, 
Where the Toiler himself reaps the fruit of his 

toil, 
Where none has a Title his neighbor to spoil; 
Know ye the land, «Scc. 

The land where the Christian can openly pray, 
As Scripture and Conscience may show him the 

way. 
Fearless of clerical tyrant or lay; 

Know ye the land, 4 c. 

The land which, the older and stronger it grew, 
To Law and to Loyalty still kept more true. 
Both to Prince and to People according their 
due; 

Know ye the land? 
'Tis a glorious land 1 
And the land is our own dear home t 



Trip along^ the IVortli Shore of L.ake Superior, 



Made on Board the Canadian Steamer Ploughbot, August, 1860. 



Qn leaving the mouth of the Ship Canal, 
above the Rapids at the Saut Ste. Marie, a 
beautiful stretch of the river is passed 
and Wai^ica Bay entered, which is a small 
expanse of water extending westward to 
Point Iroquois, on the south shore, 15 miles 
distant. Immediately opposite rises Gros 
Cap, on the Canada side, being about four 
miles asunder. This bold headland con- 
sists of hills of porphyry rising from 600 
to 700 feet above the waters of the lake. 
"Gros Cap is a name given by the voya- 
geurs to almost innumerable projecting 
headlands; but in this case appropriate — 
since it is the conspicuous feature at the 
entrance of the lake." 

North of Gros Cap lies Goulais Bay, 
and Goulais Point, another bold high- 
land which is seen in the distance. Gou- 
lais River enters the bay, affording, in 
connection with the adjacent waters, good 
fishing-grounds; the brook or speckled 
trout being mostly taken in the river. 
Here is a large Indian settlement of the 
Chippewa tribe. The whole north shore, 
as seen from the deck of the steamer, pre- 
sents a bold and grand appearance, while 
in the distance, westward, may be seen 
the broad waters of Lake Superior. 

Taquamenon Bay is next entered, which 
is about 25 miles long and as many broad, 
terminating at White-Fish Point, 40 miles 
above Saut Ste. Marie. Parisien Island 
is passed 30 miles from the Saut, lying 
near the middle of the above bay, being 
attached to Canada. 

Sandy Islands, lying off Batcheeioaua- 
ung Bay, form, with others, a handsome 
group of islands, where are good fishing- 
grounds, being distant from the Saut Ste. 
Marie about 35 miles. 

Mamaixse Point {Little Sturgeon)^ op- 
posite White-Fish Point, is another bold 
headland, where is a fisliing station and a 



few dwellings. The Montreal Company's 
copper mine is located near this point, 45 
miles north of the Saut, where is a small 
settlement of miners. Here is a good har- 
bor, the land rising abruptly to the height 
of 300 feet, presenting a rugged appear- 
ance. Some 12 or 15 miles north are lo- 
cated, on Mica Bay, the Quebec Copper 
Mining Company's Works, at present aban- 
doned, owing to their being found unpro- 
ductive. Still farther north, skirting Lake 
Superior, is to be found a vast Mineral Re- 
gion, as yet only partially explored. 

Montreal Island, and River, 20 miles 
north of Mamainse, afford good fishing- 
grounds. Here is a harbor exposed to the 
west winds from off the lake, which can 
safely be approached when the winds are 
not boisterous. 

Lizard Island and Leach Island, some 
10 miles farther northward, are next pass- 
ed, lying contiguous to the mainland. 

Cape Gargantua, 40 miles north of 
Mamainse, is a bold headland. On the 
south side is a harbor protected by a smaU. 
island. From this cape to the island of 
Michipicoten the distance is about 30 miles. 

Michipicoten Harbor, and River, 110 
miles north of the Saut Ste. Marie, situated 
in N. lat. 47 <^ 56', W. long. 85" 06', affords 
a safe anchorage, being surrounded by 
high hills. Here is established a Roman 
Catholic mission, and an important Hud- 
son Bay Company's post, from whence 
diverges the river and portage route to 
James's Bay, some 350 miles distant. The 
shore of the Lake here tends westward 
toward Otter Head, about 50 miles distant, 
presenting a bold and rugged appearance. 
This post, no doubt, is destined to become 
a place of resort as well as a commercial 
depot, from whence is now distributed the 
merchandise belonging to the above gigan- 
tic company — having exeUisive sway over 



134 



TRIP THROUGH THE LAKES. 



an immense region of country, extending 
northward to the arctic regions, and west- 
ward to the Pacitic Ocean. 

MiCHiPicoTEN Island (the Island of 
Knobs or Rills), 65 miles from Mamainse 
Point in a direct course, running in a 
northwest direction, Hes about 40 miles 
west of Michipicoten Harbor. This island, 
15 miles in length and 6 miles wide, may- 
be called the gem of Lake Superior, pre- 
senting a most beautiful appearance as 
approached from the southward, where a 
few picturesque islands may be seen near 
the entrance to a safe and commodious 
harbor, which can be entered during all 
winds. Nature seems to have adapted 
this island as a place of resort for the 
seekers of health and pleasure. Within 
the bay or harbor a beautiful cluster of 
islands adorns its entrance, where may be 
found agates and other precious stones; 
while inland is a most charming body of 
water, surrounded by wooded hills rising 
from 300 to 500 feet above the waters of 
Lake Superior. The shores of the island 
abound with greenstone and amygdaloid, 
while copper and silver mines are said to 
exist in the interior, of great value, al- 
though, as yet, but partially explored. 
The fisheries here are also valuable, afford- 
ing profitable employment to the hardy 
fisherman of this region. As yet, but one 
single shanty is erected on the shores of 
this romantic island, where, sooner or later, 
will flock the wealthy and beautiful in 
search of health and recreation, such as 
are afforded by pure air, boating, fish- 
ing, and hunting. 

The fish mostly taken in this part of 
the lake are white-fish, siskowit, Macki- 
nac trout, and speckled trout, the former 
being taken by gill-nets. 

On the mainland are found the carabou, 
a large species of deer, bears, foxes, otters, 
beavers, martins, rabbits, partridges, pig- 
eons, and other wild game. The barberry, 
red raspberry, and whortleberry are also 
found in diflTerent localities. 



Caribou Island, lying about 25 milea 
south of Michipicoten, near the middle of 
the lake, is a small body of land attached 
to Canada. It is usually passed in sight 
when the steamers are on their route to 
Fort William. 

Otter Bay, 25 miles north of Michipi- 
coten, is a beautiful and secure body of 
water, being protected by an island at its 
entrance. Here is a wild and rugged sec- 
tion of country, abounding in game of the 
fur-bearing species. 

Other bays and islands are found along 
the north shore beyond Otter Head, toward 
Pic River and Island, and said to be of 
great beauty, the whole coast being bold 
and rugged as seen from the water. At 
the mouth of the Pic is situated a Hudson 
Bay Company's Post. 

Slate Islands are a cluster of great 
interest, where is to be found a large and 
secure harbor, lying north of the principal 
island of the group. To the north, on 
the mainland, are numerous bays and in- 
lets affording st\fe harbor. As yet, the 
wild savage of the north alone inhabits 
this section of Canada West, which no doubt 
is rich in minerals of different kinds. The 
Hudson Bay Company's vessels now af- 
ford the only means of visiting this inter- 
esting region, which can alone be brought 
into notice and settled by the discovery of 
copper or silver mines of value sufficient to 
induce capitalists to organize Mining Com- 
panies. 



Copper Region of Lake Superior — 
North Shore. 

See Whitney\s Metallic Wealth of the 
United States, Phila., 1854. 

The North Shore of Lake Superior is 
supposed to be very rich in mineral pro- 
ductions, although as yet but partially 
explored. The " ^lontreal Mining Com- 
pany" have a mine whicli is now being 



NORTH SHORE OF LAKE SUPERIOR. 



135 



worked to a limited extent at Mamainse 
Point, aftbrdiug gray sulphuret of copper 
of a ricli quality. Tlie ''Quebec and Lake 
Superior Mining Association" comrneuced 
operations in 184G at Mica Bay, a few 
miles north of Mamainse, on a vein said 
to be rich in gray sulphuret of copper. An 
adit was driven 200 feet, three shafts 
sunk, and the 10-fathom level commen- 
ced. After spending $30,000 it was dis- 
covered that the mines were unproduc- 
tive, and the works were abandoned. 

A number of locaUties were explored, 
and worked to some extent on Michipico- 
ten Island and on the mainland to the 
nortliward, but they are now nearly all 
abandoned. A surveying party, however, 
are now (1860) engaged in exploring 
the north sliore of Lake Superior, under 
the autliority of the Provincial Parliament, 
in order to be able to report in regard to 
the mineral region. 

The northwest borders of the lake, and 
in particular the Island of St. Ignace, Black 
Bay, Thunder Cape, Pie Island, and the 
vicinity of Prince's Bay arc supposed to 
be rich in both copper and silver. Splen- 
did crystaDizations of amethystine quartz 
and calc spar have been obtained on Spar 
Island, near Prince's Bay, and at other 
localities. 



Fort William, an important Hudson 
Bay Company's Post, is advantageously 
situated at the mouth of the Kaministi- 
quia River, in north latitude 48 degrees 
23 minutes, west longitude 89 degrees 27 
minutes. Here is a convenient wharf 
and safe harbor, tlie bar off the mouth of 
the river affording 7 or 8 feet of water, 
which can easily be increased by dredg- 
ing. The Company's buildings consist of 
a spacious dwelling-house, a store, and 3 
storehouses, besides some 10 or 12 houses 
for the accommodation of the attaches 
and servants in the employ of the above 
gigantic company The land is cleared 



for a considerable distance on both sides 
of the river, presenting a tlirifty and fer- 
tile appearance. Wheat, rye, oats, bar- 
ley, potatoes, and most kinds of vegeta- 
bles are here raised in abundance ; also, 
grass and clover of different kinds. The 
early frosts are tlie great hindrance to 
this whole section of country, which is 
rich in minerals, timber, furs, and fish; 
altogether producing a great source of 
wealth to the above company. Pine, 
spruce, hemlock, cypress, and balsam 
trees are common, also white birch, sugar- 
maple, elm, and ash, together with some 
hardy fruit-bearing trees and shrubs. 

The Romati Catholic Mission, situated 
2 miles above the company's post, on the 
opposite side of the river, is an interest- 
ing locality. Here is a Roman Catholic 
church and some 50 or 60 houses, being 
mostly inhabited by half-breeds and civi- 
lized Indians, numbering about 300 souls. 
The good influence of the Roman Catholic 
priests, along the shores of Lake Superior 
are generally admitted by all unprejudiced 
visitors — the poor and often degraded In- 
dian being instructed in agriculture and 
industrial pursuits, tending to elevate the 
human species in every clime. 

McKay^s Mountain, lying 3 miles west 
of Fort William, near the Roman Catholic 
Mission, presents an abrupt and grand 
appearance from the water, being elevated 
1,000 feet. Far inland are seen other 
high ranges of hills and mountains, pre- 
senting altogether, in connection with the 
islands, a most interesting and sublime 
view. 

Kaministiquia, or '■'■ Gdh-viahnaiekwai' 
ahk''^ River, signifying in the Chippewa 
language the, '■"place where there are many 
currents,''^ empties its waters into Thun- 
der Bay. This beautiful stream affords 
navigation for about 12 miles, wiien rap- 
ids are encountered by the ascending voy- 
ageur. Some 30 miles above its mouth is 
a fall of about 200 feet perpendicular de- 
scent. 



136 



TRIP THROUGH THE LAKES. 



Thuitder Bay presents a large expanse 
of water, being about 25 miles in length 
and from 10 to 15 miles wide, into which 
flows several small streams, abounding in 
speckled trout. Thunder Cape, on the 
east, is a most remarkable and bold high- 
land, being elevated 1,350 feet above 
Lake Superior. It rises in some places 
almost perpendicular, presenting a basal- 
tic appearance, having on its summit an 
extinct volcano. From the elevated por- 
tions of this cape a grand and imposing 
view is obtained of surrounding moun- 
tains, headlands, and islands — overlook- 
ing Isle Royale to the south, and the north 
ahore from McKay's Mountain to the 
mouth of Pigeon River, near Grand Port- 
age, Minnesota. 

Pie Island, in the Indian dialect called 
"Mahkeneeng^^ or Tortoise, bounding Thun- 
der Bay on the south, is about 8 miles long 
and 5 miles wide, and presents a most 
singular appearance, being elevated at 
one point 850 feet above the lake. This 
bold eminence is shaped like an enormous 
slouched hat, or inverted pie, giving name 
to the island by the French or English 
explorers, while the Indians gave it the 
name of tortoise from its singular shape. 
This elevated point is basaltic, rising per- 
pendicular near the top, like the Palisades 
of the Hudson River. 

Thunder Bay, and its vicinity, has long 
been the favorite residence of Indian tribes 
who now roam over this vast section of 
country, from Lake Superior to Hudson 
Bay on the north. The moimtain peaks 
they look upon with awe and veneration, 
often ascribing some fabulous legend to 
prominent locahties. A learned Mission- 
ary, in describing this interesting portion 
of Lake Superior and its inhabitants, re- 
marked, that '' the old Indians were of the 
opinion that thunder clouds are large 
gigantic birds, having their nests on high 
hills or mountains, and who made tliem- 
eelves heard and seen very far off. The 
head they described as resembhng that of 



a huge eagle, having on one side a wing 
and one paw, on the other side an arm 
and one foot. The lightning is supposed 
to issue from the extremity of the beak 
through the paw, with which they launch 
it forth in fiery darts over the surrounding 
country." 

Black Bay, lying east of Thunder Cape, 
is 45 miles long, and from six to eight 
miles wide, being encompassed on both 
sides by higli and lofty hills. Towards the 
north are two peaked eminences termed 
the Mamelons or Papt from their singular 
formation, resembling a female's breast,, 
when seen at a distance. 

Ntepigon Bay is another romantic sheet 
of water, containing a number of beautiful 
wooded islands. It is about forty miles 
long and fifteen miles wide, being mostly 
surrounded by high and rocky eminences. 
Here the explorer, hunter, and angler may 
alike enjoy themselves with the wonders 
of the surroimding scene. Copper, silver, 
lead, and precious stones are here to be 
found in abundance on the islands and the 
mainland; while there is no end to the 
game and fish of this region. 

The Island of Si. Ignace, lying on the 
north shore of Lake Superior, is a large 
and important body of land, being rich in 
minerals and precious stones. It is about 
17 miles long and six miles wide; the 
hills rising to 1,300 feet in some places, 
giving it a wild and romantid appearance 
from the water. Here are five small 
lakes, all being connected, and the outlet 
forming a beautiful stream, with rapids 
and falls. Large quantities of brook trout 
make these lakes and streams their favor- 
ite resort, they being but frequently visit- 
ed except by the trapper and miner. 
Copper, silver, and lead are said to be 
found on this island in large quantities, as 
well as on other islands in its vicinity. 
The whole archipelago and ma'nland here 
afford good and safe harbors ; tne Canada 
side of the lakes being greatly favored 
in this respect. 



PORTAGE ROUTE FROM LAKE SUPERIOR TO LAKE 

WINNIPEG, 

Starting from Fort William, c. w. 



Kaministaquoiah River, emptying into 
Thunder Bay of Lake Superior, forms the 
west boundary of Canada proper ; to the 
north and west lies the extensive region 
or country known as the Hudson Bay 
Company's Territory. Here commences 
the great Portage Road to Rainy Lake, 
Lake of the Woods, and the Red River 
settlement ; also, to Lake Winnipeg, Nor- 
way House, and York Factory, situated 
on Hudson Bay. At the mouth of the Kam- 
inistaquoiah stands Furt William. " The 
banks of the river average in height from 
eight to twenty feet; the soil is alluvial 
and very rich. The vegetation all along 
its banks is remarkably thrifty and luxuri- 
ant in its appearance. The land is well 
timbered ; there are found in great abun- 
dance, the fir-tree, birch, tamarack, poplar, 
elm, and the spruce. There is also white 
pine, but not in great plenty. Wild hops 
and peas are found in abundance, and 
some bushes and other flowering shrubs, 
in many places cover the banks down 
to the very margin of the river, adorning 
them with beauty, and often filling the 
air with fragrance. The land on this river 
up to the Mountain Portage (32 miles), 
and for a long way back, is unsurpassed 
in richness and beauty by any lands in 
British America." 

The Mountain Fall, situated on this 
stream, is thus described: "We had great 
difficulty in finding it at first, but, guided 
by its thundering roar, through such a 
thicket of brush, thorns and briars, as I 
never before thought of, we reached the 
spot from whence it was visible. The 
whole river plunged in one broad white 
sheet, through a space not more than fifty 
feet wide, and over a precipice higher, by 
many feet, than the Niagara Falls. The 
concave sheet comes together about three- 



fourths of the way to the bottom, from 
whence the spray springs high into the 
air, bedewing and whitening the precipi- 
tous and wild looking crags with which 
the fall is composed, and clothing with 
drapery of foam the gloomy pines, that 
hang about the clefts and fissures of the 
rocks. The falls and the whole surround- 
ing scenery, for sublimity, wildness, and 
novel grandeur, exceeds any thing of the 
kind I ever saw." — Bev. J. Ryersori's Tour. 

The danger of navigating these moun- 
tain streams, in a birch canoe, is greater 
than many would expect who had never 
witnessed the force of the current some- 
times encountered. Mr. Ryerson remarks: 
" During the day we passed a large num- 
ber of strong and some dangerous rapids. 
Several times the canoe, in spite of the 
most strenuous exertions of the men, was 
driven back, such was the violence of the 
currents. On one occasion such was the 
force of the stream, that though four strong 
men were holding the rope, it was wrench- 
ed out of their hands in an instant, and 
we were hurled down the rapids with 
violent speed, at the mercy of the foaming 
waves and irresistible torrent, until fortu- 
nately in safety we reached an eddy be- 
low." {See Engraving.) 

Dog Lake is an expansion of the river, 
distant by its winding course, 76 miles 
from its mouth. Other lakes and expan- 
sions of streams are passed on the route 
westward. 

"The Savan, or Prairie Portage, 120 
miles from Fort William, by portage route, 
forms the height of land between Lake 
Superior and the waters falling into Lake 
Winnipeg; it is between three and four 
miles long, and a continuous cedar swamp 
from one end to tlie other, and is tlierefore 
very properly named tlie Savan or Swamp 



13S 



TRIP THROUGH THE LAKES. 



Portage. It lies seren or eight hundred 
feet above Lakes Superior and Winnipeg, 
and 1,483 feet above the sea." 

The Savan Riv^er, which is first formed 
by the waters of the Swamp, enters into 
the Lac Du Milk, or the Lake of Thou- 
sands, so called because of the innumer- 
able islands which are in it. This lake 
is comparatively narrow, being sixty or 
seventy miles in length. 

The River Du Mille, the outlet of the 
Lake, is a precipitous stream, whereon 
are several portages, before entering into 
Lac La Pluie, distant 350 miles from Fort 
"William. 

Rainy Lake, or Lac la Pluie, through 
which runs the boundary between the 
United States and Canada, is a most beau- 
tiful sheet of water ; it is forty-eight miles 
long, and averages about ten miles in 
breadth. It receives the waters flowing 
westward from the dividing ridge separa- 
ting the waters flowing into Lake Supe- 
rior. 



Rainy Lake River, the outiet of the 
lake of the same name, is a magnificent 
stream of water; it has a rapid current 
and averages about a quarter of a mile in 
width ; its banks are covered with the 
richest foliage of every hue ; the trees in 
the vicinity are large and varied, consisting 
of ash, cedar, poplar, oak, birch, and red 
and white pines; also an abundance of 
flowers of gaudy and variegated colors. < 
The chmate is also very fine, with a rich 
soil, and well calculated to sustain a dense 
population as any part of Canada. 

The Lake op the Woods, or Lac Du 
Bois, 68 miles in length, and from fifteen 
to twenty-five miles wide, is a splendid 
sheet of water, dotted all over with hun- 
dreds of beautiful islands, many of which 
are covered with a heavy and luxuriant 
foliage. Warm and frequent showers oc- 
cur here in May and June bringing forth 
vegetation at a rapid rate, although situated 
on the 49th degree of north latitude, from 
whence extends westward to the Pacific 




J90/3£?trS. ~SC. AfY. 

Piau-NG A Canob up thk Kapidb. 



LAKE SUPERIOR TO LAKE WINNIPEG. 



139 



Ocean, the boundary line between the 
United States and Canada. 

"There is nothing, 1 think, better cal- 
culated to awaken the more solemn feelings 
of our nature, thau these noble lakes stud- 
ded \\'ith innvunerable islets, suddenly 
bursting on the traveller's view as he emer- 
ges from the sombre forest rivers of the 
American wilderness. The clear, unruffled 
water, stretching out on the liorizon ; here 
intersecting the heavy and luxuriant foli- 
age of an hundred woody isles, or reflect- 
ing the wood-clad mountains on its margin, 
clothed in all the variegated hues of au- 
tumn ; and there glittering with dazzling 
brilliancy in the bright rays of the even- 
ing Sim, or rippling among the reeds 
and rushes of some shallow bay, where 
hundreds of wild fowl chatter as they 
feed with varied cry, rendering more ap- 
parent, rather than disturbing the solemn 
stillness of the scene: all tend to raise 
the soul from nature up to nature's God, 
and remind one of the beautiful passage 
of Scripture, ' Lord, how marvellous are 
thy works, in wisdom hast thou made 
them all; the earth is full of thy riches.' " 
— Ballantyne. 

The Winnipeg River, the outlet of the 
Lake of the "Woods, is a rapid stream, of 
large size, faUing into Winnipeg Lake, 3 
miles below Fort Alexander, one of the 
Hudson Bay Company's Posts. A great 
number of Indians resort to the Fort every 
year, besides a number of families who are 
residents in the vicinity, here being one 
of their favorite haunts. 

Rev. Mr. Ryerson remarks : — " Tlie 
scenery for many miles around is strik- 
ingly beautiful. The climate for Hud- 
son's Bay Territory is here remarkably 
line and salubrious, the land amazingly 
rich and productive. The water in Lakes 
Lac La Pluie, Lac Du Bois, Winnipeg, &c., 
is not deep, and because of their wide sur- 
face and great shallowness, during the 
summer season, they become exceedingly 
warm ; this has a wonderful effect on the 



temperature of the atmosphere in the ad- 
jacent neighborhoods, and no doubt makes 
the great difference in the climate (or at 
least is one of the principal causes of it), 
in those parts, to the climate and vegetable 
productions in the neighborhood of Lake 
Superior, near Fort William. They grow 
spring wheat here to perfection, and vege- 
tation is rapid, luxuriant, and comes to 
maturity before frosts occur." 

The whole region of country surround- 
ing Lake Winnipeg, the Red River coun- 
try, as well as the Assiniboine and Sas- 
katchewan country, are all sooner or later 
destined to sustain a vigorous and dense 
population. 



LAKE WINNIPEG, 

Situated between 50° and 55° north 
latitude, is about 300 miles long, and in 
several parts more than 50 miles broad ; 
having an estimated area of 8,500 square 
miles.* Lake Winnipeg receives the wa- 
ters of numerous rivers, which, in the 
aggregate, drain an area of about 400,000 
square miles. The Saskatchewan (the riv- 
er that runs fast) is its most important 
tributary. The Assiniboine, the Red Riv- 
er of the North, and Winnipeg River are its 
other largest tributaries, altogether dis- 
charging an immense amount of water 
into this great inland lake. It is elevated 
about 700 feet above Hudson Bay. and 
discharges its surplus waters through 
Kelson Biver, a large and magnificent 
stream, which like the St. Lawrence is 
filled with islands and numerous rapids, 



* Lake Baikal, the most extensive body of 
fresh water on the Eastern Continent, situated in 
Southern Siberia, between lat. 51° and oS'^ north, 
is !»hout 370 miles in leng:th. 45 miles average 
width, and about 900 miles in circuit; being 
somewhat larirer than Lake Winnipeg in area. 
Its depth in some places is very great, being in 
part surrounded by high mountains. The Yeni- 
sei, its outlet, tiowB north into the Arctic Ocean. 



140 



TRIP THROUGH THE LAKES. 



preventing navigation ^tirely below Cross 
Lake. 

Lakes Manitobah and Winnipega-sis, uni- 
ted, are nearly of the same length as Win- 
nipeg, lying 40 or 50 miles westward. 
Nearly the whole country between Lake 
Winnipeg and its western rivals is occu- 
pied by smaller lakes, so that between 
the valley of the Assiniboine and the 
eastern shore of Winnipeg fully one-third 
is under water. These lakes, both large 
and small, are shallow, and in the same 
water area show much uniformity in depth 
and coast line. 



I^akei ill the Talley of the 
Sa§katche^vaii. 

Length Breadth Elevation Area 
in miles, in miles, in feet, in m's. 

Winnipeg, 280 57 628 8,500 

Manitobah, 122 24 670 2,000 

Wmnipego-sis,..120 27 692 2,000 

St. Martin, 30 -16 655 350 

Cedar, 30 25 688 350 

Dauphin, ,21 12 700 200 

All the smaller lakes lie west of Lake 
Winnipeg, which receives their surplus 
waters ; the whole volume, with the large 
streams, flowing into Nelson River, dis- 
charges into Hudson Bay, near York Fac- 
tory, in 57° north latitude. The naviga- 
tion of the latter stream is interrupted by 
falls and rapids, having a descent of 628 
feet in its course of about 350 miles. 

" The chmate in the region of the above 
lakes and the Red River Settlement will 
compare not unfavorably with that of 
Kingston and Toronto, Canada West. 
The Spring generally opens somewhat 
earlier, but owing to the proximity of Lake 
Winnipeg which is late of breaking up, 
the weather is always variable until the 
middle of May. The slightest breeze from 
the north or northwest, blowing over the 
frozen surface of that inland sea, lias an 



immediate effect on the temperature du- 
ring the Spring months. On the other 
hand, the Fall is generally open, with 
mild, dry, and pleasant weather." 



Red River of the North. 

This interesting section of country be- 
ing closely connected with the Upper Lakes, 
and attracting much attention at the pres- 
ent time, we subjoin the following extract 
from "Minnesota and Dacota," by C. 
C. Andrews: 

" It is common to say that settlements 
have not been extended beyond Crow 
Wing, Minnesota. This is only techni- 
cally true. A few facts in regard to the 
people who live four or five hundred miles 
to the north will best illustrate the nature 
of the chmate and its adaptedness to agri- 
culture. 

"There is a settlement at Pembina, ueax 
the 49th parallel of latitude, where the di- 
viding line between British America and 
the United States crosses the Red River of 
the North. Pembina is said to have about 
600 inhabitants. It is situated on the 
Pembina River. It is an Indian-French 
word meaning ^ Cranberry.^ Men live there 
who were born there, and it is in fact an 
old settlement. It was founded by Brit- 
ish subjects, who thought they had loca- 
ted on British soil. The greater part of 
its inhabitants are half-breeds, who earn 
a comfortable livelihood in fur-hunting and 
farming. It is 460 miles northwest of St. 
Paul, and 330 miles distant from Crow 
Wing. Notwithstanding the distance, 
there is considerable communication be- 
tween the two places. West of Pembina, 
about thirty miles, is a settlement called 
St. Joseph, situated near a large mytho- 
logical body of water called Miniwakvi, or 
Devil's Lake. 

" Now let me say something about this 
Red River of the North, for it is begin- 



LAKE SUPERIOR TO LAKE WINNIPEG. 



141 



ning to be a great feature in this upper 
country. It runs north and empties into 
Lake Winnipeg, which connects with Hud- 
son Bay by Nelson River. It is a muddy 
and skiggish stream, navigable to tlie 
mouth of the Sioux Wood River for vessels 
of three feet draught for four months in 
the year, so that the extent of its navigation 
within Minnesota alone (between Pem- 
bina and the mouth of Sioux Wood River) 
is 400 miles. Buffaloes still feed on its 
western banks. Its tributaries are nu- 
merous and copious, abounding with the 
choicest kind of game, and skirted with 
a various and beautiful foliage. It cannot 
be many years before this magnificent 
valley (together with the Saskatchewan) 
shall pour its products into our markets, 
and be the theatre of a busy and genial life. 

^" Red River Stttlement is seventy miles 
north of Pembina, and lies on both sides 
of the river. Its population is estimated 
at 10,000 souls. It owes its origin and 
growth to the enterprise and success of 
the Hudson Bay Company. Many of the 
settlers came from Scotland, but the most 
were from Canada. They speak English 
and Canadian Frencli. The English style 
of society is well kept up, whether we re- 
gard the Church with its bishop, the tra- 
der with his wine-cellar, the scholar with 
his library, the officer with his sinecure, or 
their paper currency. The great business 
of the settlement, of course, is the fur 
traffic. 

"Ai immense amount of BufiFalo skins 
IS taken in summer and autumn, while in 



the winter smaller but more valuable furs 
are procured. The Indians also enlist in 
the hunts ; and it is estimated that upward 
of $200,000 worth of furs are annually 
taken from our territory and sold to the 
Hudson Bay Company. It is high time 
indeed that a military post should be es- 
tablished somewhere on Red River by our 
government. 

'• The Hudson Bay Company is now a 
powerful monopoly. Not so magnificent 
and potent as the East India Company, it 
is still a powerful comljination, showering 
opulence on its members, and reflecting a 
peculiar feature in the strength and gran- 
deur of the British empire — a power which, 
to use the eloquent language of Daniel 
Webster, ' has dotted over the whole sur- 
face of the globe with her possessions and 
military posts, whose morning drum-beat 
following the sun, and keeping company 
with the hours, circles the earth daily 
with one continuous and unbroken strain 
of martial music' The company is grow- 
ing richer every year, and its jurisdiction 
and its lands will soon find an availability 
never dreamed of by its founders, un 
less, as may possibly happen, popular sover- 
eignty steps in to grasp the fruits of its long 
apprenticeship." 

The Charter of the Hudson Bay Compa- 
ny expired, by its own limitation, in 1860, 
and the question of annexing this vast do- 
main to Canada, or forming a separate 
province, is now deeply agitating the Brit- 
ish public, both in Canada and in the 
mother country. 



142 TRIP THROUGH THE LAKES. 



TABLE OF DISTANCES, 

From Fort William, situated at the Mouth of the Kamistaquoiah 
River, to Fort Alexander, at the head of Lake Winnipeg. 

Miles. 

Fort "William 

Parapliue Portage 25 

(8 Portages) 

Dog Portage 51 76 

(5 Portages) 

Savan or Swamp Portage* 54 130 

Thousand Islands Lake 57 187 

(2 Portages) 

Sturgeon Lake 71 258 

{4: Portages) 

Lac La Croix 25 283 

(5 Portages) 

Rainy Lake 40 323 

Rainy Lake River 38 361 

Lake of the Woods 83 444 

Rat Portage 68 512 

Fort Alexander 125 637 



From Fort Alexander to For t Oarry 

OR Red River Settlement, by Water. 

Miles. 

To Pointe de Grand Marais 24 

" Red River Beacon 25 49 

" Lower Fort 23 72 

" Fort Garry 24 96 

From Fort Alexander to Norway House, passing through Lake Winnipeg, 
300 miles. 

From Norway House to York Factory, passing through Oxford Lake and Hayes 
River, 400 miles. 

* Summit, elevated 840 feet above Lake Superior. 




RAILROAD AND STEAMBOAT ROUTES 

From Buffalo to IViagara Falls, Toronto, etc. 

government have recently erected for the 
protection of the river and the city of 
Buffalo. 

Waterloo, C. W., three miles belo\T 
Buffalo and opposite Black Rock (now i 
part of Buffalo), with which it is connect 
ed by a steam-ferry, is handsomely situ 
ated on the west side of Niagara River, 
which is here about half a mile wide. 
The Buffalo and Lake Huron Railroad runs 
from Fort Erie, near Waterloo, to Paris, 
C. W., where it connects with the Great 
Western Railway of Canada. It is now 
completed to Goderich, C. W., lying on 
Lake Huron. 

Grand Island, belonging to the Uni- 
ted States, is passed on the right in de- 
scending the river. It is a large and val- 
uable tract of good land, abounding with 
white oak of a superior quality. 

Navy Island, belonging to the British, 
is next passed, lying within gun-shot of 
the mainland. This island obtained great 
notoriety in the fall and winter of 1837-'8, 
when it was occupied by the " Patriots," 
as they were styled, during the troubles 
in Canada. The Steamer Caroline was 
destroyed on the nigTit of December 29th, 
1837, while lying at Schlosser's Landing, 
on the American shore, having been en- 
gaged in transporting persons to and 
from the island, which was soon after 
evacuated. 

Opposite Navy Island, on the Canada 
side, near Chippewa battle-ground, is the 
house in which Captain Usher resided, 
when murdered in 1838. It is supposed 
he fell by the hands of some of the de- 
luded patriots, having been shot by a se- 
cret foe, while in his own house. 

Chippewa, 20 miles below Buffalo, and 
two miles above the Falls, is ou the west 
side of Niacrara River, at the mouth of a 



The most usual mode of conveyance 
from Buffalo to the Falls of Niagara, and 
thence to Lake Ontario, or into Canada, is 
by the Buffalo^ Niagara Falls and Lewiston 
liailroad, 28 miles in length. It runs 
through Tonawanda, 1 1 miles ; Niagara 
Falls, 22 miles: Suspension Bridge, 24 
miles, connecting with the Great Western 
Railway of Canada, and terminates at 
Lewiston, the head of navigation on Ni- 
agara River, 28 miles. 

American and Canadian steamers of a 
large class leave Lewiston several times 
daily, for different ports on Lake Ontario 
and the St. Lawrence River. 

There is also another very desirable 
mode of conveyance, by Steamboat, de- 
scending the Niagara River, from Buffalo 
to Chippewa, C. W., thence by the Erie 
and Ontario Railroad^ 17 miles in length; 
passing in full view of the Falls, to the 
Clifton House, three miles below Chippe- 
wa ; Suspension Bridge, five miles ; Queen- 
ston, eleven miles, terminating at Niag- 
ara, C. W., thirty-tive miles from Buffalo. 

As the steamboat leaves Buffalo, on 
the latter route, a fine view may be ob- 
tained of Lake Erie and both shores of 
Niagara River. On the Canada side, the 
first objects of interest are the ruins of 
old Fort Erie, captured by the Ameri- 
cans, July 3d, 1814. It is situated at the 
foot of the lake, opposite the site of a 
strong fortrc3;> which the Unlt->d States 



144 



TRIP THROUGH THE LAKES. 



creek of the same name, which is naviga- 
ble to Port Robinson, some eight or ten 
miles west ; the latter place being on the 
line of the Welland Canal. The village of 
Chippewa contains a population of about 
1,000 souls. Steamboats and lake craft 
of a large size are built at this place for 
the trade of Lake Erie and the Upper 
Lakes. It has obtained a place in history 
on account of the bloody battle which 
was fought near it in the war of 1812^ 
between the United States and Great 
Britain. The battle was fought on the 
5th of July, 1814, on the plains, a short 
distance south of the steamboat landing. 
The American forces were commanded 
by Major-General Jacob Brown, and the 
British, by Major-General Riall, who, af- 
ter an obstinate and sanguinary fight, 
was defeated, with considerable loss. 

At Chippewa commences the railroad 
extending to Niagara, at the mouth, of the 
river, a distance of 17 miles. Steamboats 
continue the line of travel from both ends 
of this road, thus furnishing an interesting 
and speedy conveyance between Lakes 
Erie and Ontario. 

On ariving in the vicinity of the Falls 
OF Niagara, the cars stop near the Clifton 
Hoicse, situated near the ferry leading to 
the American side. The site of this house 
was chosen as giving the best view of both 
the American and Canadian or Horse-Shoe 
Falls, which are seen from the piazzas and 
front windows. This is the most interest- 
ing approach to the Falls. 

In addition to the Falls, there are other 
points of attraction on the Canada side of 
the river. The collection of curiosities at 
the Museum, and the Camera Obscura, 
which gives an exact and beautiful, though 
miniature image of the Falls, are well wor- 
thy of a visit. The Burning Sj^ring, two 
miles above the Falls, is also much fre- 
quented; and the rides to the battle- 
grounds in this vicinity makes an exhila- 
rating and very pleasant excursion. For 
farther descnptioa of Falls, see page 149. 



Drummondsville, one mile west of the 
Falls, and situated on Lundy''s Lane, is 
celebrated as the scene of another san- 
guinary engagement between the Ameri- 
can and British forces, July 25, 1814. 

The following is a brief, though correct 
account of the engagement : " On the after- 
noon of the above day, while the Ameri- 
can army was on their march from Fort 
George toward Fort Erie, ascending the 
west bank of the river, their rear-guard, 
under the immediate command of Gen. 
Scott, was attacked by the advanced guard 
of the British army, under Gen. Riall, the 
British having been reinforced after their 
defeat at Chippewa, on the 6th of the same 
month. This brought on a general conflict 
of the most obstinate and deadly character. 
As soon as attacked. Gen. Scott advanced 
witli his division, amounting to about 3,000 
men, to the open ground focing the heights 
occupied by the main British army, where, 
were planted several heavy pieces of can- 
non. Between eight and nine o'clock in 
the evening, on the arrival of reinforcements 
to both armies, the battle became general 
and raged for several hours, with alternate 
success on both side*!: each army evin- 
cing the most determined bravery and re- 
sistance. The command of the respective 
forces was now assumed by Major Gen. 
Brown and Lieut.-Gen. Drummond, each 
having under his command a well-disci- 
plined army. The brave (American) Col. 
Miller was ordered to advance and seize 
the artillery of th« British, which he 
eSected at the point of the bayonet in the 
most gaUant manner. Gen. RiaU, of the 
English army, was captured, and the pos- 
session of the battle-ground contested un- 
til near midnight, when 1,100 men being 
either killed or wounded, the conflicting 
armies, amounting altogether to about 
6,000 strong, ceased the deadly conflict, 
and for a time the bloody field was left un- 
occupied, except by the dead and wounded. 

When the British discovered that the 
Americans had encamped one or two miles 




Brock's Mouumsn'' — Queeoston Heights. 



ROUTE FROM BUFFALO TO NIAGARA FALLS, ETC. 



145 



distant thpy returned and occupied tlieir 
former position. Thus ended one of the 
most bloody conliicts that occurred during 
the hist war; and while each party boasted 
a victory, altogether too dearly bought, 
neither was disposed to renew the con- 

aicL" 

Clifton is a new and flourishing village, 
Eituated at the western termination of the 
(ireat AVestern Railway, where it connects 
with the SiLspen-sion Bridge. For descrip- 
tion of route to Detroit, &c., see page 50. 

Ql'EEN'Stox, situated seven miles below 
the Falls, and about the same distance 
above the eutrauce of Niagara River into 
Lake Ontario, lies directly opposite the 
village of Lewiston, Vf'ith which it is con- 
nected by a Suspension Bridge 850 feet in 
ieugtlL It contains about 500 inhabitants, 
GO dwelUng-houses, one Kpiscopal, one 
Scotch Presbyterian, and one Baptist 
church, four taverns, four stores, and 
three w^areliouscs. This place is also 
celebrated as being tlie scene of a deadly 
strife between the American and British 
forces, October 13, 1812. The American 
troops actually engaged in tlie light were 
commanded by Gon. Solomon Van Rens- 
selaer, and both the troops and their com- 
mander greatly distinguished themselves 
for their bravery, althougii ultimately over- 
powered by superior numbers, lu attempt- 
ing to regain their own side of the river 
many of the Americans perished; the 
whole lo5S in killed, wounded, and prison- 
ers amounting to at least 1,000 men. 

Major-General Brock, the British com- 
mander, w^as kiUed in the middle of the 
fight, while leading on his men. A now 
monument stands on the heights, near 
where he fell, erected to his memory. The 
first raonumont was nearly destroyed by 
gunpowder, April IT, 1840^ an infamous 
act, said to have been perpetrated by a 
person concerned in the insurrection of 
iSo7-'3S. 

Brouk's ik'KW MoN'UMEN'T was com- 
raeneed in 16j^, and fiai^hed in 1853; 



being 185 feet high, ascended on the in- 
side by a spiral staircase of 235 stono 
steps. The base is 40 feet square and 35 
feet in height, surmounted, by a tablet 35 
feet high, with historical devices on the 
four sides. The main shaft, about 100 
feet, is lluted and surmounted by a Corin- 
thian capital, on which is placed a colossal 
figure of Major-General Brock, 18 feet in 
height. This beautiful structure cost ■ 
£10,000 sterling, being entirely con- 
structed of a cream-colored stone quar- 
ried in the vicinity. A massive stone 
wall, 80 feet square, adorned with mili- 
tary figures and tropMes at the corners, 
27 feet in height, surrounds the monu- 
ment, leaving space for a grass-plot and 
walk on the inside of the enclosure. 
The following is the inscription : , 

Upper (Canada 

Has dedicated this Monument 

to tiie memory of the lato 

Major-General Sir Isaac Brock, K. B. 

Provisional Lieut. -Governor and Commander 

of the ForciiS in this Province, 

Whose remains an' deposited 

in the vault beneath. 

OpposiniT the invading enemy 

He fell in action, near the Heights, 

on the i;3th October, 1812, 

In the 43d year of bis age, 

Eevered and lamented by the people 

whom he governed, and deplored by 

the Sovereign to whose service 

His life had been devoted. 

The last words of Major-General Brock, 
when he fell mortally wounded by a mus- 
ket-shot through the left breast, were, 
'• Never mind, my boys, the death of one 
man — I have not long to live," Thus 
departed one of the many noble spirits 
that were sacrificed on this frontier during 
the war of 1812. 

The village of Xlvgarv is advantage- 
ously situated on the Canada side, at tii« 
entrauce of the river into Lake Ontario, 
directly opposiXe Fort Niagara, on the 
Amerie-an side. It contains about 3,000 
inhabitants, a court-house and jail; one 
Fpisconalj oiie Presbyterian, one Metho- 



146 



TRIP THROUGH THE LAKES. 



dist, and one Roman Catholic Church ; 6 1 
hotels and taverns ; and 20 stores of dif- 1 
ferent kinds ; also, an extensive locomo- j 
tive and car factory. This is the most 
noted place in Canada West for building 
steamboats and other craft navigating 
Lake Ontario. Here is a dockyard with 
a marine railway and foundry attached, 
capable of making machinery of the lar- 
gest description, and giving employment 
to a great number of men. It is owned 
by the '• Niagara Dock Company." 
Steamers leave daily for Toronto, etc. 

Fort George, situated a short distance 
south or up-stream from the mouth of the 



river, is now in ruins. This was the scene 
of a severe contest in 1813, in which the 
Americans were victorious. A new fort 
has been erected on the point of land at 
the mouth of the river, directly opposite 
old Fort Niagara on the American side. 
The new fortification is called Fort Massa- 
sauga. 

The whole frontier on the Canada side, 
from Fort Greorge to Fort Erie, opposite 
Buffalo, was occupied by the American 
army in 1814, when occurred a succession 
of battles of the most determined and bril- 
liant character. 



NIAGARA RIVER, 

ITS RAPIDS, FALLS, ISLANDS, AND ROMANTIC SCENERY. 



" Majestic stream ! what river rivals thee, 
Thou child of many lakes, and sire of one — 
Lakes that claim kindred with the all-circling 

sea — 
Large at thy birth as when thy race is ran ! 
Against what great obstructions has thou won 
Thine august way — the rock -formed mountain - 

plain 
Has opened at thy bidding, and the steep 
Bars not thy passage, for the ledge in vain 
Stretches across the channel — thou dost leap 
Sublimely down the height, and urge again 
Thy rock-embattled course on to the distant 

main." 



This most remarkable and romantic 
stream, the outlet of Lake Erie, through 
which flows all the accumulated waters 
of the Upper Lakes of North America, 
very appropriately forms the boundary 
between two great countries, the British 
province of Upper Canada on the one side, 
and the State of New York, the " Empire 
State" of the Union, on the opposite side. 
In its whole course, its peculiar character 
is quite in keeping with the stupendous 
Cataract from which its principal interest 
is derived. 

The amount of water passing through 



this channel is immense ; from a compu- 
tation which has been made at the out- 
let of Lake Erie, the quantity thus dis- 
charged is about twenty millions of cubic 
feet, or upwards of 600,000 tons per 
minute, all of which great volume of 
water, 20 miles below, plunges over the 
Falls of Niagara. 

The Niagara Eiver commences at Bird 
Island, nearly opposite the mouth of Buf- 
falo harbor, and passes by the site of old 
Fort Erie and Waterloo on the Canada 
side. At the later place a steam ferry- 
boat plies across the river to Black Rock, 
now forming a part of the city of Buffalo. 
It is here proposed to construct a railroad 
bridge across the stream, about 1,800 feet 
in width. 

Squaw Island and Strawberry Island 
are both small islands lying on the Amer- 
ican side of the stream, near the head of 
Grand Island. The river is here used in 
part for the Erie Canal, a pier extending 
from Squaw Island to Bird Island, formiu}.; 
a large basin called Black Rock Harbor. 

Grand Island, attached to Erie Co.. 



ROUTE FROM BUFFALO TO NIAGARA FALLS, EJ C. 



147 



N. Y., is a large and important body of 
land, about ten miles long from nortb to 
south, and seven miles wide. This island 
is partly cleared and cultivated, while 
the larger portion is covered with a large 
growth of oaks and other forest trees. 

The ship or steamboat channel runs 
along the bank of Grand Island to nearly 
oppasite Chippewa, where the whole 
stream unites before plunging over the 
Falls of Niagara, being again separated 
at the head of Goat Island. From this 
point the awe-struck traveller can scan 
the quiet waters above, and the raging 
rapids below, preparing to plunge over 
the Cataract. 

Cayuga Island and Buckhorn Island 
are small bodies of land belonging to the 
United States, situated immediately be- 
low Grand Island. 

Navy Island, lying opposite the vil- 
lage of Chippewa, 18 miles below the 
head of the river, is a celebrated island 
belonging to the Canadians, having been 
taken possession of by the sympathizing 
patriots in 1837, when a partial rebellion 
occurred in Upper and Lower Canada. 

TONAWANDA, 11 mUes below Buffalo, is 
situated at the mouth of Tonawanda 
Creek, opposite Grand Island, The Erie 
Canal here enters the creek, which it fol- 
lows for several miles on its course to- 
ward Lockport. A railroad also runs to 
Lockport, connectmg with the Xexo York 
Central Railroad, extending to Albany. 
A ship canal is proposed to be construct- 
ed from Tonawanda to some eligible point 
on Lake Ontario, thus forming a rival to 
the Welland Canal of Canada. 

Schlosser's Landing, two miles above 
Niagara Falls village, is a noted steam- 
boat landing, opposite Chippewa, from 
whence the steamer Caroline was cut 
adrift by the British and destroyed, by 
being precipitated over the Falls during 
the Canadian rebellion, December 29th. 
1837. 

The Rapids. — Below Navy Island, be- 



tween Chippewa and Schlosser, the river 
is nearly three miles in width, but soon 
narrows to one mile, when the Rapids 
commence, and continue for about one 
mile before reaching the edge of the preci- 
pice at the Horse-Shoe Fall. 

At the commencement of the Rapids, 
"the bed of the river declines, the chan- 
nel contracts, numerous large rocks heave 
up the roUiu^ surges, and dispute the 
passage of the now raging and foaming 
doods. The mighty torrent leaping down 
successive ledges, dashing over opposing 
elevations, hurled back by ridges, and 
repelled from shores and islands — plung- 
ing, boiling, roaring — seems a mad wil- 
derness of waters striving against its 
better fate, and hurried on to destruction 
by its own blind and reckless impetuosi- 
ty. Were there no cataract, these Rapids 
would yet make Niagara the wonder of 
the world." 

Iris, or Goat Island, commences near 
the head of the Rapids, and extends to 
the precipice, of which it forms a part, 
separating the American Fall from the 
Canadian or Horse-Shoe Fall. It is about 
half a mile in length, eighty rods wide, 
and contains over sixty acres of arable land, 
being for the most part covered witli a 
heavy growth of forest trees of a variety 
of species, and native plants and flowers. 
A portion of the island, however, has 
been cleared off, and a garden enclosed, 
in which are some excellent fruit-trees, 
and a variety of native and foreign plants 
and flowers, and a fish-pond. The island 
is remarkably cool, shady, and pleasant, 
and is an object of unceasing admiration 
from year to year. Comfortable seats and 
arbors are placed at the most interesting 
points, where ihe visitor can sit at ease 
and enjoy the beautiful and sublime views 
presented to his sight — often entranced 
lay a deafening roar of miglity waters in 
their descent, accompanied by diang- 
ing rainbows of the most gorgeous do- 
scriptiun. 



148 



TRIP THROUGH THE LAKES. 



IViagara. 

WRITTEN BY LYofA H. SIGOURNEY. 

Flow on forever, in thy glorious robe 
Of terror and of beauty ; God hath set 
His rainbow on thy forehead, and the cloud 
Mantles around thy feet, and He doth give 
Thy voice of thunder power to speak of Him 
Eternally ; bidding the lip of man 
Keep silence, and upon thy rocky altar 
Pour incense of uwe-struck praise. 

Goat Island Bridge. — The Niagara 
Falls Gazette gives the following descrip- 
tion of this new structure : 

" This bridge across the east branch of 
the Niagara River is situated in th'e Rap- 
ids, about sixty rods above the Cataract, on 
the site of the old wooden bridge. It is 
3G0 feet long, and consists of four arches 
of ninety feet span each, supported be- 
tween the abatments of three piers. The 
piers above water are built of heavy cut 
stone, and are twenty-two feet long and 
six feet wide, tapering one foot in the 
height. The foundations are formed of 
foot-square oak timber, strongly framed 
and bolted together in cribs, tilled with 
stone, and covered with timber at the sur- 
face of the water. These timber-founda- 
tions are protected against wear and injury 
from ice by heavy plates of iron, and be- 
ing always covered with water, will be as 
durable as the stone. 

"The superstructure is of iron, on the 
plan of Whipple's iron-arched bridge. 
The whole widtli is twenty-seven feet, 
aflfording a double carriage-way of sixteen 
and a half feet, and two foot- ways of five 
and a fourth feet each, with iron railings. 
The arches are of cast iron, and the 
chords, suspenders, and braces of wrought 
iron. All the materials used in the con- 
struction are of the best quality, and the 
size and strength of all the parts far 
beyond what are deemed necessary in 
bridges exposed to the severest tests. 

'•Tiiis substantial and beautiful struc- 
ture, spanning a branch of tliis majes- 



tic river in the midst of the rapids, and 

overlooking the cataract, is worthy of the 
site it occupies, and affords another in- 
stance of the triumph of human ingenuity 
over the obstacles of nature. 

" The islands connected by this bridge 
with the American shore are the property 
of Messrs. Porter, and constitute the most 
interesting features in the scenery sur- 
rounding the cataract. Tliis bridge has 
been erected by them to facilitate com- 
munication with these interesting locali- 
ties not otherwise accessible." 

This is a toll-bridge, every foot passen- 
ger being charged 25 cents for the season, 
or single crossing. 

There are upward of thirty islands and 
islets in the Niagara River or Strait, above 
the cataract. Most of those not described 
are small, and scarcely worthy of enumer- 
ation, although those immediately contigu- 
ous to Goat Island form beautiful objects 
in connection with the rushing and mighty 
waters by whicli they are surrounded. 
Bath Island, Brig Island, Chapin^s Island, 
and Bird Island, all situated immediately 
above the American FaU, are reached by 
bridges. 

"When on Goat Island, turning to the 
right toward the Falls, the first object of 
interest is Hogg's Back, a point of land 
facing the American Fall, — Bridge to Ad- 
ington Island immediately above the Cave 
of the Winds, 160feet below. Sam. Patch's 
Point is next passed on the right, from 
which he took a fearful leap some years 
since, Biddle's Stairs descend to the 
water's edge below and the Cave of 
the Winds, which are annually visited by 
thousands of visitors. Terrapin Bridge 
and Terrapin Tower afford a grand view 
of the Canadian or Horse-Shoe Fall and 
Rapids above the Falls. Three Sister Isl- 
ands are contiguous to Goat Island, on the 
American side. Passing around Goat Isl- 
and toward the south, a grand view is 
afforded of the river and rapids above the 
Canadian and American Falls. 










^^-^.^^ 



THE A-MEaiOAN FALLS liY iIOOSl.IGHT. 



ROUTE FROM BUFFALO TO NIAGARA FALLS, ETC. 



149 




■§& 




Xia(;ara is a word of Indian origin — 
the orthography, accentuation, and mean- 
ing of which are variously given by 
difl'erent authors. It is highly probable 
that this diversity might be accounted 
for and explained by tracing the appellation 
through the dialects of the several tribes 
of aborigines who formerly inhabited the 
neighboring country. There is reason to 
believe, however, that the etymon belongs 
to the language of the Ii'oquois. and signi- 
fies the " Thunder of Waters.^^ 

" When the traveller first arrives at the 
cataract he stands and gazes, and is lost 
in admiration. The mighty volume of 
water which forms the outlet of the great 
Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, and 
Erie, is here precipitated over a precipice 
160 feet high, with a roar hke that of 
thunder, which may be heard, in favora- 
ble circumstances, to the distance of tif- 
teen miles, though, at times, the Falls may 
be nearly approached without perceiving 
much to indicate a tremendous cataract 
in the vicinity. In consequence of a bend 
in the river, the principal weight of water 
is thrown on tlie Canadian side, down 



what is called the 
Horse- Shoe Fall, which 
name has become in- 
appropriate, as tlie 
edges of the precipice 
have ceased to be a 
curve, and form a 
moderately acute an- 
gle. Near the mid- 
dle of the fall, Goat 
Island, containing 75 
acres, extends to the 
brow of the precipice, dividing the river 
mto two parts; and a small projecting 
mass of rock at a little distance from it, 
toward the American shore, again divides 
the cataract on that side. Goat Island, 
at the lower end, presents a perpendicu- 
lar mass of rocks, extending from the bot- 
tom to the top of the precipice. A bridge 
has been constructed from the American 
shore to Bath Island, and another connects 
the latter with Goat Island, and a tower 
is erected on the brow of the Horse-Shoe 
Fall, approached from Goat Island by a 
short bridge, on whicli the spectator seems 
to stand over the edge of the mighty cat- 
aract, and which alTords a fine view of this 
part of it. The distance at the faU. from 
the American shore to Goat Island is G5 
rods; across the front of Goat Island is 
78 rods; around the Horse- Shoe Fall, on 
the Canadian side, 144 rods; directly 
across the Ilorse-Slioe, 74 rods. The 
height of the fall near the American shore 
is 1 63 feet ; near Goat Island, on the same 
side, 158 feet ; near Goat Island, on the 
Canada side, 154 feet. Table Rock, a 
shelving projection on the Canadian side, 
at the edge of the precipice, is 150 feet 
high. This place is generally thought to 
present the finest view of the Falls; 
thougli, if the spectator will visit the tow- 
er on the opposite side on Goat Island, at 
sunrise, when the whole cavity is enlight- 
ened by the sun, and the gorgeous bow 
trembles in the rising spray, he cannot 
elsewhere, the world ovei enjoy such an 



150 



TRIP THROUGH THE LAKES. 



incomparable scene. A covered stairway 
on the American side descends from the 
top to the bottom of the precipice. 

" It lias been computed that 100 million 
tons of water are discharged over the 
precipice every hour. The Rapids com- 
mence about a mile above the FaUs, and 
tlie water descends 57 feet before it ar- 
rives at the cataract. The view from the 
bridge to Goat Island, of the troubled 
water dashing tumultuously over the 
rocks of the American fall, is terrific. 
While curiosity constitutes an attribute 
of the human character, these falls will be 
frequented by admiring and delighted 
visitors as one of the grandest exhibitions 
in nature. 

" This stupendous Cataract, situated in 
north latitude 43° 6', and west longitude 
2° 6' from Washington,' is 22 miles north 
from the efflux of the river at Lake Erie, 
and 14 miles south of its outlet into Lake 
Ontario. The whole length of the river is 
therefore 36 miles, its general course is a 
few points to the west of north. Though 
commonly called a river, this portion of tlie 
St. Lawrence is, more properly speaking, 
a strait, connecting, as above mentioned, 
the Lakes Erie and Ontario, and conduct- 
ing the superfluous waters of the great 
seas and streams above, through a broad 
and divided, and afterward compressed, 
devious, and irregular channel to the lat- 
ter lake, into which it empties — the point 
of union being about 40 miles from the 
western extremity of Lake Ontario. 

" The climate of the Niagara is in the 
highest degree healthful and invigorating. 
The atmosphere, constantly acted upon 
by the rushing water, the noise, and the 
spray, is kept pure, refreshing, and salu- 
tary. There are no stagnant pools or 
marshes near to send abroad their fetid 
"Exhalations and noxious miasmas, poison- 
ing the air and producing disease. 

" Sweet-breathing herbs and beautiful 
wild flowers spring up spontaneously even 
ou the sides, and in the crevices of the 



giant rocks ; and luxuriant clusters of firs 
and other stately forest trees cover the 
islands, crown the clifis, and overhang 
the banks of Niagara. Here are no mos- 
quitoes to annoy, no reptiles to alarm, 
and no wild animals to intimidate, yet there 
is life and vivacity. The many-hued but- 
terfly sips ambrosia from the fresh opened 
honey-cup ; birds carol their lays of love 
among the spray-starred branches; and 
the lively squirrel skips chattering from 
tree to tree. Varieties of water-fowl, at 
certain seasons of the year, sport among 
the rapids, the sea-gull plays around the 
precipice, and the eagle — the banner bird 
of freedom — hovers above the cataract, 
plumes his gray pinions in its curling mists, 
and makes his home among the giant firs 
of its inaccessible islands. 

" No place on the civihzed earth offers 
such attractions and inducements to visi- 
tors as Niagara, and they can never be 
fully known except to those who see and 
study them, from the utter impossibility 
of describing such a scene as this wonder- 
ful cataract presents. When motion can 
be expressed by color, there will be some 
hope of imparting a faint idea of it ; but 
until that can be done, Niagara must re- 
main undescribed." 



Cataract of IViag^ara. 

"Shrine of Omnipotence! how vast, how grand. 
How awful, yet how beautiful thou art! 
Pillar'd around thy everlasting hills, 
Eobed in the drapery of descending floods, 
Crowned by the rainbow, canopied by clouds 
That roll in incense up from thy dread base, 
Hid by their mantling o"er the vast abyss 
Upon whose verge thou standest, whence as- 
cends 
The mighty anthem of thy Maker's praise, 
Hymu'd in eternal thunders H 



Below the Palls, the first objects of in- 
terest are the Ferry Stairs and Point View 
on the American side ; while on the op- 



ROUTE FROM BUFFALO TO NIAGARA FALLS, ETC. 



161 



posite side is a ferry -liouse and landing, 
where carriages are usually to be found 
to convey passengers to the Clifton House, 
Table Rock, and other places of great 
interest. 

About 30 rods below the Forry Stairs is 
the spot where the hermit Abbot was 
drowned. Half a mile below the latter 
point is Catlin's Cave, formerly much fre- 
quented. 

The Suspension Bridge, the greatest 
artificial curiosity in America, is situated 
two miles and a half below the Falls, 
where has recently sprung into existence 
Niagara City, or better known as the 
Suspension Bridge, on the American side, 
and Gli/ton on the Canadian side of the 
river, here being about 800 feet in width, 
with perpendicular banks of 325 feet. 

The Whirlpool and Rapids, one mile 
below the Bridge, are terrific sights of 
great interest, and well worthy a visit. 

The DeviVs Hole, one mile farther down, 
is also a point of great attraction, together 
with the Bloody Run, a small stream where 
a detachment of English soldiers were 
precipitated in their flight from an attack 
by Indians during the old French war in 
1759. An amphitheatre of high ground 
spreads around and perfectly encloses the 
valley of the Devil's Hole, with the ex- 
ception of a narrow ravine formed by 
Bloody Run — from which, against a large 
foi'ce, there is no escape, except over the 
precipice. The Ice Cave is another object 
of interest connected with the Devil's 
Hole. 

The Rapids below the Whirlpool are 
the next object of attraction ; then Queens- 
ton Heights and Brock's Monument on 
the Canadian side, and the Suspension 
Bridge at Lewiston; altogether forming 
objects of interest sufficient to fill a well- 
sized volume. 

The Niagara River is navigable from 
Lewiston to its mouth at Fort Niagara, a 
farther distance of seven miles, or four^ 
teen below the Falls of Niagara. 



The village of Niagara Falls, Niagara 
Co., N. Y., is situated on the east side of 
Niagara River, in the immediate vicinity 
of the grand Cataract, 22 miles from Buf- 
falo and 303 miles from Albany by rail- 
road route. No place in the Union exceeds 
this favored spot as a fashionable place of 
resort during the summer and fall months, 
when hundreds of visitors may be seen 
every day flocking to Goat Island, or 
points contiguous to the Rapids and Falls. 
The village contains several large hotels 
for the accommodation of visitors, the 
most noted of which are the Cataract 
House and the International Hotel ; the 
Monteagle Hotel, situated two miles be- 
low the Falls, near the Suspension Bridge, 
and the Clifton House, on the Canada 
side, are all alike popular and well-kept 
hotels ; there are five churches of different 
denominations; 15 stores, in many of 
which are kept for sale Indian curiosities 
and fancy work of different kinds. The 
water-power here aflbrded by the de- 
scending stream, east of Goat Island, is 
illimitable. A paper-mill, a flouring-mill, 
two saw-mills, a woollen factory, a fur- 
nace and machine shop, together with 
other manufacturing establishments, here 
use the water-power so bountifully sup- 
plied. The population is about 3,500. 

The railroads centring at the Falls are 
the Bvffalo, Niagara Falls and Lewiston 
Railroad, and the New York Central Rail- 
road ; the latter road connecting at Buffalo 
with the New York and Erie Railroad, anfl 
forming with other roads a direct route to 
Philadelphia, Baltimore, and "Washington. 

An omnibus line and hacks run from 
the village of Niagara FaUs to Niagara 
City, or Suspension Bridge, during the 
summer months, and thence to the Clifton 
House and Table Rock on Canada side. 

Niagara City, situated two miles belo-vyr 
the F^Us, at the Susj^eyision Bridge, is a 
new and flourishing place containing about 
1,500 inhabitants. Ilorp is situated the 
Monteagle Hotel. 



152 



TRIP THROUGH THE LAKES. 



SUSPENSION BRIDGE 

AND THE 

Cataract and Rapi<l§ of IViag^ara. 



To give the reader some idea of the 
grandeur of this triumph of engineering 
skiU— THE SUSPENSION BRIDGE— 
we copy the following article from a late 
Buffalo paper: 

AN ENGINEER'S MONUMENT. 

Spanning the chasm of the Niagara 
River, uniting the territories of two differ- 
ent Governments, and sustaining tlie unin- 
terrupted railroad traffic of the Provinces 
of Canada with the United States, 250 feet 
above a flood of water which man has 
never been able to ferry, stands the monu- 
ment of John A. Roebling. Tlie Niagara 
Raikoay Sibspension Bridge, is tlie grandest 
and the most distinguishing achievement 
of Art in this world. It is the proudest, 
it is the most ))eautiful. and will prove to 
be the most enduring monument anywhere 
set up on this continent. 

Regard this wonderful product of engi- 
neering skill. Its span is 822 feet. Yet 
an engine, tender and passenger car, load- 
ed with men, and weighing altogether 47 
tons, depress the long floor in the centre 
but 5^ inches. The Bridge, loaded with 
a loaded freight train, covering its whole 
length, and weighing 326 tons, is deflected 
in the middle only 10 inches. Tliis ex- 
treme depression is perceptible only to 
practised eyes. The slighter changes of 
level require to be ascertained with in- 
struments. Delicate as lace work, and 
seemingly light and airy, it hangs there 
high between heaven and the boiling flood 
below, more solid than the earthbeds of 
the adjacent railways. The concussions 
of fast moving trains are sensibly felt miles 



off through solid rocky soil. In cities lo- 
comotives shake "entire blocks of stone 
dwellings. The waters of the Cayuga 
Lake tremble under the wheels of the 
express trains, a mile away from the 
bridge. But a freight train traversing 
John A, Roebling's Monument, at the 
speed of five miies an hour, communicates 
no jar to passengers walking upon the 
carriage way below. The land cables of 
the bridge do not tremble under it — the 
slight concussions of the superstructure 
do not go over the summits of the towers 
This last fact in the stiffness of the great 
work is of much importance. It furnishes 
a guarantee of the durability of the ma- 
sonry. Fast anchored with stone and 
grouted in solid rock cut down to the 
depth of twenty-five feet, the great cables 
are immovable by any mechanical force 
incidental to the use of the bridge, or the 
natural influences it will be subject to. 
The ultimate strength of these cables is 
12,100 tons. The total weight of the ma- 
terial of the bridge, and of the traffic to 
which it will ordinarily be subjected is 
2,262 tons, to sustain which the Engineer 
has provided in his beautiful and scientific 
structure, a strength of 12,400 tons. He 
demonstrates, too, that while the strength 
of the cables is nearly six times as great 
as their ordinary tension, that strength 

WILL NEVER BE IMPAIRED BY VIBRATION. 

This was the question raised by The De- 
mocracy, a year ago, which excited such 
general, and in instances such angry dis- 
cussion. Roebling treated our doubts 
with a cool reason and the stores of an 
extensive engineering experience, which 
gave us to believe that Art had at last 
attained to a method of suspending Iron 
Bridges for Railroad use, that should en- 



ROUTE FROM BUFFALO TO NIAGARA FALLS, ETC. 



15:3 



tirely obviate the o))jection3 to thein felt 
by most of the Irou-Masters of the United 
States. He has since that demonstrated 
it in a most wunderful stiucture. 

There are in the bridge G24 "suspend- 
ers," each capable of sustaining 30 tons — 
and all of sustaining 18,720 tons. The 
weight they liave ordinarily to support is 
only 1,000 tons. But the Engineer has 
skilfully distributed the weight of the 
burdens, by the means of "girders" and 
" trusses." These spread the 34 tons heft 
of a locomotive and tender over a length 
of 200 feet. How ample is this provision 
made for defective iron or sudden strains I 

The Anchor Chains are composed of 9 
links, each 7 feet long, save the last,* 
which is 10 feet. The lowest Unk is made 
of 7 bars of iron, 7 inch by 1^. It is se- 
cured to a cast iron anchor plate 3^ inches 
thick, and 6 feet 6 inches square. The 
other links are equally strong. The iron 
used was all made from Pennsylvania char- 
coal, Ulster county, N Y., and Salisbury 
Pig, and can be depended upon for a 
strengtli of 64,000 pounds to the square 
inch. The central portions of the anchor 
plates, through which the links pass is 12 
inches thick. The excavations in the solid 
rock were not vertical. They inclined from 
the river. The rock upon which the work 
may rely on the New York side of the 
chasm is 100 feet long, 70 feet wide, and 
20 feet deep. It weighs 160 pounds to 
the cubic foot, and presents a resistance of 
14,000 tons, exclusive of the weight of the 
superincumbent masonry and embankment. 

The Towers are each 15 feet square at 
the base, 60 feet high above the arch, 
and 8 feet square at the top. The limestone 
of which they are built will support a pres- 
t^iire of 500 tons on each square foot with- 
out crushing. While the greatest weight 
cliat can fall upon the tower will rarely 
3xceed GOO tons, a pressure of 32,000 tons 
will be required to crush the top course. 
There are 4,000 tons' weight in each of the 
towers on the New York side. 



The cables are 4 in number, 1 inches 
in diameter, and composed each of .'{,040 
small No. 9 wires. Sixty wires form one 
square inch of sohd section, making the 
solid section of the entire cable 60.40 
square inches, wrapping not included. 
These immense masses of wire are put 
together so that each individual wire per- 
forms its duty, and in a strain all work 
together. On this, Mr. Roebling, who 
is a moderate as well as a modest man, 
feels justified in speaking with the word 
PERFECT. Each of the large cables is 
composed of four smaller ones, called 
"strands." Each strand has 520 wires. 
One is placed in the centre. The rest are 
placed around that. These strands were 
manufactured nearly in the same position 
the cables now occupy. The preparatory 
labors, such as oiling, straightening, spli- 
cing, and reeling, were done in a long 
shed on the Canada side. Two strands 
were made at the same time, one for each 
of the two cables under process of con- 
struction. On the completion of one set, 
temporary wire bands were laid on, about 
nine inches apart, for the purpose of 
keeping the wires closely united, and se- 
curing their relative position. They were 
then lowered to occupy their permanent 
position in the cable. On completion of 
the seven pairs of strands, tw^o platform 
carriages were mounted upon the cables, 
for laying on a continuous wrapping, by 
means of RoebLing's patent wrapping 
machines. During this process the whole 
mass of wire was again saturated with 
oil and paint, which, together with the 
wrapping, will protect them efifectuaUy 
against all oxidation. Five hundred tons 
of this wire is English. American man- 
ufacturers did not put in proposals. That 
used was remarkably uniform, and most 
carefully made. 

The law deduced from large use of wire 
rope in Pennsylvania, is, that its durabili- 
ty depends upon its usage. It will last 
much longer under heavy strains moving 



154 



TRIP THROUGH THE LAKES, 



slowly, than it will under light strains 
moving rapidly. This law was borne 
constantly in mind by the Engineer of 
the Niagara Railway Bridge. The cables 
and suspenders are, so to speak, at rest. 
They are so well protected, too, from rust, 
that they may be regarded as eternally 
durable. 

Among the interesting characteristics 
of this splendid architecture, is its elas- 
ticity. The depression under a load com- 
mences at the end, of course, and goes 
regularly across. After the passage of a 
train, the equilibrium is perfectly restored. 
The elasticity of the cables is fully equal 
to this task, and will never be lost. 

The equilibrium of the Bridge is less 
a3ected in cold weather than in warm. 
If a change of temperature of 100 de- 
grees should take place, the difference in 
the level of the floor would be 2 feet 3 
inches. 

So solid is this Bridge in its weight, 
its stiffness, and its staying, that not the 
slightest motion is communicated to it by 
the severest gales of wind that blow up 
through the narrow gorge which it spans. 

Next to violent winds, suspension bridge 
builders dread the trotting of cattle across 
their structures. Mr. Roebling says that 
a heavy train running 20 miles an hour 
across his Bridge, would do less injury 
to it than would 20 steers passing on a 
trot. It is the severest test, next to that 
of troops marching in time, to which 
bridges, iron or wooden, suspension or 
tubular, can be subjected. Strict regula- 
tions are enforced for the passage of hogs, 
horses, and oxen, in small bodies, and 
always on a walk. 

This great work cost only $500,000. 
The same structure in England (if it could 
possibly have been built there) would 
have cost $4,000,000. It is unquestiona- 
bly the most admirable work of art on 
this continent, and will make an imper- 
ishable monument to the memory of its 
Engineer, John A. RoEBLiNa. 



"We append a Table of Quantities for,/f 
the convenience of our readers, and the 
more easy comprehension of the charac- 
ter of the structure : 

Length of span from centre to centre of 

Towers 822 feet 

Height of Tower above rock on Ameri- 
can side 8S feet 

Height of Tower above rock, Canada side 78 foet 
Height of Tower above floor of Kailway . 60 feet 

Number of Wire Cables 4 

Diameter of each Cable 10 inches 

Number of No. 9 wires in each Cable. . 3,569 
Ultimate aggregate strength of Cables, 12,400 tons 

Weight of Superstructure 750 tons 

Weight of Superstructure and maxi- 
mum loads 1,250 tons 

Ultimate supporting strength 780 tons 

Height of Track above water 250 feet 

Jiase of Towers 16 feet square 

Top of Towers 8 " " 

Length of each Upper Cable 1.256i feet 

" " Lower Cable 1,190 feet 

Depth of Anchor Pits below surface 

of Kock 80 feet 

Number of Suspenders 624 

Ultimate strength of Suspenders 18,720 tons 

Number of Overfloor Stays 64 

Aggregate strength of Stays . 1,920 tons 

Number of Itiver Sta)'S 56 

Aggregate strength of Stays 1,680 tons 

Elevation of Eailway Track above mid- 
dle stage of lliver 245 feet 

Total length of Wires 4,000 miles 

The weights of the materials in the 
bridge are as follows : 

LBS. 

Timber 919,130 

Wrought Iron and Suspenders 113,120 

Castings 44.882 

Rails 66,740 

Cables (between towers) 536,400 

Total 1,678,722 

The Great Western Railway op 
Canada, which unites with the Neio York 
Central Railroad, terminating on the Ameri- 
can side of the river, here commences 
and extends westward through Hamilton, 
London, and Chatham to Windsor, oppo- 
site Detroit, Mich., forming one of the 
great through hues of travel from Boston 
and New York to Detroit, Chicago, and 
the Far West. Seepage 50. 

This road also furnishes a speedy route 
of travel to Toronto, Montreal, etc. 



ROUTE FROM BUFFALO TO NIAGARA FALLS, ETC. 



155 



Ratos ojf Charges at IViag^ara 
Fall»i. 

The following are the rates of charges 
usually exacted from persons visiting Ni- 
agara Falls — but, unfortunately, imposi- 
tions are often practised by unprincipled 
individuals at this, as well as other fash- 
ionable resorts: 

AMERICAN SIDE. 

Board, from one to two and a half dol- 
lars per day. 

For services of guide, from one to three 
dollars. 

For guide behind the Central Fall, and 
visiting the Cave of the Winds, one dollar. 

For crossing bridge to Goat Island, 25 
cents. 

Fare to and from Suspension Bridge, 
12^ cents. 

Fare for crossing Suspension Bridge, 
25 cents. 

Fare to the "Whirlpool, 50 cents. 

For use of steps or cars on Inclined 
Plane, 5 cents. 

Ferriage to Canada side, 20 cents. 

Omnibus fare and steam ferriage to 
Canada side, 25 cents. 

CANADA SIDE. 

Board, from one to two and a half dol- 
lars per day. 

Visiting Barnett's Museum, Camera Ob- 
scura, and Pleasure Grounds, 25 cents. 

For guide and use of dress to pass be- 
hind the Fall at Table Rock, one dollar. 

Carriage fare to Whirlpool, Lundy's 
Lane Battle Ground, Burning Spring, and 
back to Ferry, 50 to 75 cents. 

Guide to Battle Ground and visiting 
Monument, 25 cents. 

Carriage fare to Brock's Monument on 
Queenston Heights, one dollar. 

Carriage fare per day, four dollars. 

The drives in the vicinity of the Falls, 
on both sides of the river, are unrivalled, 



and no visitor should lose the opportunity 
to visit all the objects of attraction above 
and below the mighty Cataract. 

It is necessary to make exact agree- 
ments with the hackmen and guides in 
order to avoid imposition; some on the 
Canada side refuse to take American bank- 
bills except at a great discount. 

Lewiston, Niagara Co., N. Y., is de- 
lightfully situated on the east bank of tlie 
Niagara River, seven miles below the 
Falls, and seven miles above the mouth 
of the river where it falls into Lake On- 
tario. It is an incorporated village, and 
contains about 1,000 inhabitants, four 
churches, an incorporated academy ; a 
custom-house, it being the port of entry 
for the district of Niagara; three hotels, 
nine stores, and three storehouses. Here 
is a very convenient steamboat landing, 
from which steamers depart daily for Os- 
wego, Ogdensburgh, etc., on the Ameri- 
can side, and for Toronto, Kingston, etc., 
on the Canadian side. The Buffalo, Niag- 
ara Falls, and Lewiston Railroad termi- 
nates at this place, where is a magnilicent 
Suspension Bridge thrown across the Ni- 
agara, connecting Lewiston with Queens- 
ton, Canada. The mountain ridge here 
rises about 300 feet above the river, form- 
ing many picturesque and romantic points 
of great interest. On the American side 
of the river stands the site of old Fort 
Gray, erected during the war of 1812, 
while on the Canadian side are situated 
Queenston Heights, surmounted by a beau- 
tiful monument erected to the memory of 
General Brock, of the British army, who 
was here killed in a sanguinary conflict, 
October 13th, 1812. From this height a 
most extensive and grand view is obtained 
of Lake Ontario and the surrounding coun- 
try. 

YouNGSTOWN, six miles below Lewis- 
ton, and one mile above old Fort Niagara 
at the mouth of the river, is a regular 
steamboat landing. The village contains 
about bOO inhabitants; three churches. 



156 



TRIP THRuUGH THE LAKES. 



two public-houses, five stores, and two 
flouring mills, besides other manufactur- 
ing establishments. A railroad is nearly 
completed, extending from this place to 
Niagara FmUs, being a continuation of the 
Canandaigua and Niagara Falls Railroad, 
now completed to the Suspension Bridge. 



A ferry plies from Toimgstown to the vil- 
lage of Niagara on the Canada side of the 
river, here about lialf a mile in width. 
This is the first landing, on the American 
side of the river, after leaving the broad 
waters of Lake Ontario. Fort Niagara is 
situated at the mouth of the river. 



Route around l^ake Ontario. 

Miles. 

Kingston, C. W., to Toronto, via Grand Trunk Railway 160 

Toronto to Hamilton, 0. W., Toronto and Hamilton R. R. 38 

Hamilton to Suspension Bridge, via Great Western R. R. 43 

Suspension Bridge to Rochester, N. Y., via K F. Central Railway 76 

Rochester to Oswego, N. Y., by stage 70 

Oswego to Richland, N. Y., " 35 

Richland to Cape Vincent, via Watertown and Rome R. R 55 

Cape Vincent to Kingston, C. W., via Wolfe Island 12 

Total Mfies 489 

Note. — The extreme length of Lake On- 1 as long as its greatest width. The circuit 
tario is 190 miles, from Cape Vincent to of the water is estimated at 480 miles. — 
Hamilton, C. W.; being about four times I See Lake Erie, page 14. 



LAKE ONTARIO. 



This Lake, the most eastern of the great 
chain of Lakes of North America, receives 
the surpkis waters of Niagara River; it is 
180 miles in length, and 60 miles in ex- 
treme breadth ; being about 480 miles in 
circumference. The boundary line between 
the British Possessions and the United 
States runs through the middle of the 
Like, and so continues down the St. Law- 
rence to the 43th degree of north latitude, 
where the river enters Canada. 

The lake is navigable throughout its 
whole extent for -vessels of the largest 
size; and it is said to be in some places 
upward of 600 feet in depth. Its surface 
is elevated 234 feet above the Atlantic, 
and lies 330 feet lower than Lake Erie, 
with which.it is connected by the Niagara 
River and b;^ the Welland Canal in Canada. 
It has also been proposed to construct a 
ship canal on the American side. Tlio 
trade of Lake Ontario, from the great ex- 
tent of inhabited country surrounding it, 
is very considerable, and is rapidly in- 
creasiug. Many saU. vessels and splendid 
steamers are employed in navigating its 
waters, which, owing to its great depth, 
never freeze, except at the sides, where 
the water is shallow; so that its naviga- 
tion is not so effectually interrupted by ice 
as some of the other large lakes. The 
most important places on the Canadian or 
British side of Lake Ontario are Kingston. 
Coburg, Port Hope, Toronto, Hamilton, 
and Niagara; on the Ame-rican shore. 
Cape Vincent, Sacket's Harbor, Oswego. 
Charlotte or Port Genesee, and Lewiston, 
on Niagara River. This Lake is connected 



with the navigable waters of the Hudson 
River by means of the Oswego and J^lrie 
canals. It receives numerous streams, Ixjth 
from the Canadian and the American sides, 
and abounds with a great variety of fish 
of an excellent flavor. The bass and sal- 
mon, in particular, have a high reputation, 
and are taken in large quantities. The 
principal Bays are Burlington, Ironde- 
quoit. Great and Little Sodus, Mexico, 
Black River, Chaumont, and the pictu- 
resque waters of the Bay of Quinte. 

The passage across Lake Ontario in 
calm weather is most agreeable. At times 
both shores are hidden from view, when 
nothing can be seen from the deck of the 
vessel but an abyss of waters. The re- 
fractions which sometimes take place in 
summer, are exceedingly beautiful. Islands 
and trees appear turned upside down ; and 
the white surf of the beach, translated 
aloft, seems hke the smoke of artillery 
blazing away from a fort.* 



* BEAtTTFCL MiuAGK. — That grand phenomenon 
occasionally witnessed on the Lakes— mirage — was 
seen from the steamer Bay State, on a recent trip 
from Niagara to Genesee River (August, 1S56), 
with more than ordinary splendor. The Lock- 
port Journal says it occurred just as the sun 
was setting, at which time some twelve vessels 
were seen reflected on the horizon, in an inverted 
position, with a distinctness and vividness truly 
surprising. The atmosphere was overcast with 
a thick haze such as precedes a storm, and of a 
color favorable to represent upon the darkened 
background, vividly, the full outlines of the rig- 
ging, sails, etc., as perfect as if the ships them- 
selves wete actually transformed to the aerial 
canvas. The unusual phenomenon lasted until 
darkness put an end to the scene. 




■•-» 



o 

M 

< 

o 



^""""" ''"'I'lifl;^ 



STEAMBOAT ROUTES. 159 



American ISteauiboat Ronte from L.e\viNtoii to Os^^cgo, 
H.ing§ton, and Ogclen!$burgli. 

Ports, etc. Miles. Ports, etc. Miles. 

LeWISTON' Ogdensburgh 

Youwjstown 6 Morri-stown 11 

N/'agani, Can 1-Y Brockville, Can 1-12 

Charlotte^ or Port Genesee 80-87 Thousand Islands 

Pultneyinlle 20-107 Alexandria Bay 22-.S4 

Sodus Point 10-117 Clayton, or French Creek 12-46 

Oswego 30-147 Grand, or Wolfe Island 

Stony Point and Island 33-180 Kingston, Can 24-70 

Sackefs Harbor 12-192 Sacket's Harbor 38-108 

Grand, or Wolfe Island 28-220 Stoney Point and Island 12-120 

Kingston, Can 10-230 Oswego 33-153 

Thousand Islands Sodus Point 30-183 

Clayton, or French Creek 24-254 Fultneyville 10-193 

Alexandria Bay 12-266 C?iarlotte, or Port Genesee 20-213 

Br».kville, Can 22-288 Niagara. Can , 80-293 

Morristown .... 1-289 Youngstown 1-294 

C'xbENSBURGH 11-300 LeWISTON 6-300 

Usual Time from Lewiston to Ogdensburgh, via Os'w ego and Kingston, 28 hours. 
Usual Time, via Toronto and Cape Vincent, 22 hours. 
Cabin Fare, $5.50 (including meals). Deck Fare, $2.50. 



I^ieainboat Route from L>e\i'i§ton to Toronto and Ogdeni- 
burgta, via E3[pres§ Line. 

Ports, etc. Miles. Ports, etc. Mile*. 

Lewiston Ogdensburgh ^ ,...., 

Niagara 7 Brockville, Can 11 

Toronto, Can 42—49 Clayton, or French Creek 34-45 

Point Peter and Light 128-177 Cape Vincent 13-58 

Duck Island 30-207 Tibbet's Point 3-61 

Tibbet's Point and Light 19-226 Duck Island 19-80 

Cape Vincent 3-229 Point Peter and Light 30-110 

Clayton, or French Creek 13-242 Toronto 128-238 

BrockviUe, Can 34-276 Niagara 42-280 

Ogdensburgh 11-287 Lewiston 7-287 

Usual Fare from Ogdensburgh to Montreal, $3.50 

Through Fare from Lewiston to Montreal, 9.00 

" " from Buffalo to Montreal, 10.00 

C^* For further infonnation in regard to Lake Ontario and Route to Montreal, 4c., 
nee " Picturesque Tourist." published by J, Disturnell. 



AI-PHABETICAIj IjIST op the PREfciPAL Ports on the Great Lakes 
OF North America, with their Situation, Temperature, ltc. 



PORTS, &c 



Agate Harbor, Mich, 

Algonac, " 

Alpena, " 

Amherstburg, Can 

Ashland, Wis 

Ashtabula, Ohio , 

Bay City, Mich 

Bayfield, Wis 

Beaver Bay, Min 

Belleville, Can 

BrockviUe, " 

Bruce Mines, Can 

Buchanan, Min 

Buftalo.* N. Y 

Cape Vincent, N. Y 

Cliarlotte, " 

Chicago, lUinois 

Clayton, N. Y 

Cleveland,* Ohio 

Col)ourg, Can 

Collingwood, Can 

Conneaut, Ohio 

Copper Harbor,* Mich. (Ft. Wilkins) 

Detroit,* " 

Dunkirk, X. Y 

Kagle Harbor, Mich 

Eagle River, " 

East Saginaw, " 

Erie,* Benu 

Fairport, Oliio 

Forrestville, Mich 

Fort Gratiot,* " 

Fort Niagara,* N. Y 

Fort AVilliam, Can 

Gena, Mich., 

Goderich, Can 

Grand Haven, Mich. . . .; 

Grand Portage, Min 

(ireeii Bay,* Wis., (Fort Howard) 

Hamilton, Can. 

Hancock, Mich 



Latitude. 


Longitude. 


Altitude. 


Mean Temp. 


47°30' 


88O10' 


600 ft. 


41 « Fahr. 


42 36 


82 30 


570 


46 00 


45 00 


83 30 


574 


42 00 


42 05 


82 58 


562 


48 00 


46 33 


91 00 


600 


41 00 


41 52 


80 47 


560 


.47 00 






574 


46 00 


46 45 


91 00 


600 


40 00 


47 12 


91 18 


600 


38 00 






235 


45 00 






230 


44 00 


46 20 


83 45 


574 


40 00 


47 33 


92 00 


600 


37 00 


42 53 


78 58 


600 


47 00 


44 03 


76 30 


235 


45 00 


43 12 


77 51 


235 


46 00 


41 53 


87 37 


576 


47 00 


44 10 


76 25 


234 


45 00 


41 30 


81 42 


640 


48 00 






235 


45 00 


44 30 


80 20 


574 


43 00 






560 


47 00 


47 30 


88 00 


620 


41 00 


42 20 


83 00 


600 


47 25 






560 


47 25 


47 28 


88 08 


600 


41 00 


47 25 


88 18 


600 


41 00 






574 


46 00 ] 


12 08 


80 05 


560 


47 00 






560 


47 00 


43 40 


82 34 


574 


45 00 


42 55 


82 23 


598 


46 30 


43 18 


79 08 


250 


47 90 


48 23 


89 22 


600 


36 00 






576 


43 00 


43 44 


81 43 


574 


45 00 


43 05 


86 12 


576 


46 00 


47 50 


90 OC 


600 


38 00 1 


44 30 


88 05 


620 


44 50 1 


41 15 


79 57 


235 


47 00 1 






600 


41 00 1 



ALPHABETICAL LIST OF PORTS, ETC. 



161 



P0KT3, iic 



Latitude. 



Longitude. 



Altitude. 



Moan Temp. 



Houghton, " 

Iluron Harbor, Ohio 

Kenosha^ "Wis 

Kingston, Can 

La PoiHte, Wis 

Lexington, Mich 

Le wiston, N. Y 

Manistee, Mich 

Manitou woe, Wis 

Mackinac,* Mich 

Marquette, " 

Michigan City, Ind 

Michipicoten, Can 

Milwaukee, Wis 

Monroe, Mich 

Munising, " 

Muskegon, Mich 

Neepigon, Can 

New Buffalo, Mich 

Kenomonee City, Wis 

Niagara, Can 

Oconto, Wis 

Oak Orchard, N. Y 

Ogdensburgh, N". Y 

Ontonagon, Mich 

Oshawa, Can 

Oswego.* N. Y., (Fort Ontario). . . 

Owen's Sound, Can 

Penetanquishene, Can 

Picton, 



«K 



Port Burwell, 

Port Colburn, " 

Port Dalhousie, " 

Port Dover, Can 

Port Hope, " 

Port Huron, Mich 

Portland, Min , 

Port Stanley, Can , 

Prescott, " , 

Pultneyville, N. Y 

Kacine, Wis 

Rock Harbor, Mich 

Sucket's Harbor,* (Madison Bar.) 

Saginaw City, Mich 

Sauduskv, Ohio 

11 



46O40' 

41 25 

42 35 
44 08 
46 45 



44 07 

45 51 

46 32 
41 41 

47 56 
43 03 
41 53 
46 20 

49 00 
41 45 

43 18 



44 42 

46 52 

43 20 

44 81 



42 58 

47 00 

44 42 

42 45 

48 05 

43 55 

41 21 



88O30' 
82 40 
87 50 
76 40 
90 57 



87 45 

84 33 
87 33 

86 53 

85 06 

87 55 
83 19 

87 00 

88 30 

86 46 

79 08 



75 35 

89 30 

76 40 
80 40 



82 25 
92 10 

75 36 

87 48 

88 50 

76 00 

82 45 



600 ft. 

560 

576 

235 

600 

574 

238 

576 

576 

728 

600 

576 

GOO 

576 

560 

600 

576 

600 

576 

576 

235 

576 

235 

230 

GOO 

235 

250 

574 

574 

235 

560 

560 

235 

560 

235 

572 

600 

560 

230 

235 

576 

600 

265 

574 

SCO 



41" Fahr. 

48 00 
46 00 

44 00 
40 00 

45 00 

46 00 
46 00 

45 00 

40 65 

42 00 

49 00 
38 00 

46 00 
48 00 

41 00 

46 00 
36 00 

47 00 

43 00 
47 00 

44 00 
47 00 
44 00 
40 00 

44 00 
46 44 
43 00 

43 00 

45 00 

46 00 

46 00 

47 00 
46 00 

45 00 

46 00 
40 00 
46 00 

44 00 

46 00 

47 00 
38 00 

45 00 

46 00 

48 00 



102 



RAPIDS OF THE ST. LATTRENCE RIVER, 



P0KT8, Ac 



Sarnia, Can 

Saugeen, Can 

Saut Ste. Marie,* (Fort Brady) 

Sheyboygan, "Wis 

• St. Clair, Mich 

Superior, Wis 

SodusBay, N. Y 

Tawas, Mich 

Toledo, Ohio 

Toronto,! C-an* 

Trenton, Mich 

Yermihon, Ohio 

"Waukegan, HI 

White River Harbor, Mich . . . 

Windsor, Can 

Wyandotte, Mich 



Latituc^e. 


LoDgi tilde. 


Altitude. 


Mean Temp. 


42«>58' 


82024' 


572 ft. 


460 FahT- 


44 04 


81 43 


574 


44 00 


46 30 


84 43 


600 


40 37 






576 


45 00 






570 


46 00 


46 40 


92 03 


600 


40 00 






265 


46 40 






574 


45 00 


41 38 


83 32 


560 


49 00 


43 40 


79 20 


265 


44 40 






566 


47 00 






560 


48 00 


42 21 


87 50 


576 


47 00 






676 


46 30 


42 21 


83 00 


570 


47 00 






570 


47 00 



* United States Military Stations, giving tlie exact elevation of Forts, &c. The other 8tatk»» 
show the water level of the different Great Lakes ^nd Bivers. 
+ Canadian Observatory. 



RAPIDS OF THE ST. LAWRENCE RIVER. 



The Rapids of the St. Lawrence, in con- 
nection with the " Thousand Islands,''^ 
form the most remarkable feature of this 
truly noble stream. The " Thousand Is- 
lands" are situated near the foot of Lake 
Ontario, where the St Lawrence proper 
commences. Here are found delightful 
resorts for thoae fond of fishiug and hunt- 
ing, surrounded by scenery of the most 
enchanting character. 

The fall in the St. Lawrence river, 
between Ogdensbnrgh and Montreal, a dis- 
tance of 120 miles exceeds 200 feet. The 
rapids encountered are the Gallop Rapids ; 



Rapid Plat ; Long Saut Rapids, (descent 
48 feet.) The Coicau Rapids, Cedar 
Rapids, and Cascade Rapids, have a des- 
cent of 82 feet ; in the distance of 11 
miles. The La Chine Rapids, the last 
formidable rapids which impede naviga- 
tion, has a descent of 45 feet. 

Tlie descent of these Rapids by pteam- 
ers is perfectly safe, affording the most ex- 
citing and grand excursion imaginable. 
In ascending the stream steamers pass 
I through the St. Latorence Canal ; total 
length about 40 miles. See Engraving^ 
page 162. 



APPENDIX. 



Father Harquctte and liis Discovery of the ]!Ii$si§sippi 

River. 

[Written for the '%a^e Superior Mining Journal,'''' by Adrian J. Ebell.] 



Our hero, James Marquette, was born 
of the noble family of Marquette, in t!ie 
northern part of France, in the year 1G37. 
In the city of Laon, on the meandering, 
vine-clad, olive-girt httle River Oise, where 
his ancestors had raised and exerted a 
wide influence for generations before Ji m, 
he also spent his youthful days till the 
age of seventeen; he then attached him- 
self to the Society of Jesus, or Jesuits, 
and with them pursued a course of study 
preparatory to the priesthood. When in- 
vested with orders, having a strong pref- 
erence for the missionary work, he deter- 
mined to make the wilds of America the 
jfields for his future labor. So, in the 
summer of 1666, he sailed for Canada, on 
the 20th of September, and landed at 
Quebec, then but a trading-post. He was 
soon recognized, by his courage and zeal, 
as a man specially fitted to advance the 
efiforts that had been made among the 
Algonquins on Lake Superior, but which 
had been nearly extinguished by the in- 
cursions of the warlike Iroquois, Ac- 
cordingly, Father James Marquette, on 
the 10th of October of the same year that 
he landed, embarked again, but now in a 
bark canoe, conducted by a couple of the 
Mission Indians, for the "Three Rivers," 
there to commence the study of the lan- 
guage, and soon after he proceeded to the 
Ottawa Mission on Lake Superior. At 
firet he wae stationed at the Sault Ste. 



Marie, but in a few months it was deemed 
expedient to remove him fartlier on to the 
mission at La Pointe. 

The bands that lived about the south- 
western shores of the lake were annually 
visited by the Illinois, who came from 
their broad prairie-homes on the "Great 
Mississippi," for the purpose of obtaining 
by barter the trinkets and chattels dis- 
tributed by the French. The glowing de- 
scription given by these of the '"Great 
Water," the Mississippi, that flowed south 
through many nations, and emptied itself, 
after many moons' journeyings, into the 
salt sea, awakened in Father Marquette 
an ardent desire to explore this mysterious 
river, find whether or no the sea it emp- 
tied in was the Western Ocean, and carry 
to the southern nations the Gospel of 
peace. 

The Ilurons at La Pointe were about 
abandoning their homes, from fear of the 
Sioux warriors ; and our missionary, though 
loth to remove farther from his cherished 
desire of going southwest to the Illinois 
and other Mississippi nations, yet accom- 
panied them back in their canoes to 
Mackinac, and there rebuilt the old church 
that had been for a time deserted. 

In the summer of 1672, the Comte de 
Frontenac, Governor of Canada, clearly 
perceiving the importance of an explora- 
tion of the Mississippi River and its out- 
let, appointed Sieur M. Jolliet, accompa- 



164 



FATHER MARQUETl'E 3 DISCOVERY OF THE MISSISSIPPI. 



nied by Father Marquette, to make the 
discovery; but on their return, Jolliet's 
journals and reports were lost by the up- 
setting ot their canoe below the Sault St. 
Louis, near Montreal, and thus the only 
remaining account of the expedition was 
that prepared by Marquette. 

In two bark canoes, their entire outfit 
a stock of corn and dried meat, with five 
Indian attendants, Jolliet and Marquette, 
on the 17th of May, 1673, started from 
the Mission of St. Ignatius, at Michili- 
mackinac, for the exploration of the Mis- 
sissippi. Coasting along the shore, with 
every precaution to avoid surprise, they 
entered and went up Green Bay, and 
ascended the Fox River for a distance of 
260 miles to its source, in a level prairie 
flat, but a httle distance from the springs 
of the Wisconsin, which flowed into the 
Great "Waters they were in search of 
Having carried their canoes over the nar- 
row portage, they continued their voyage 
down the shallow river, often quite hid 
from sight by the growth of wild oats, 
through which they had to open a way 
for their canoe, as one would through 
the thicket. As they descended, it grew 
broader, and dashed about among reeds 
and sandy shoals. About 30 leagues below 
its source they found what they took to 
be an iron mine, and somewhat farther on, 
about 120 miles below the portage, on the 
17th of June, "with," says Marquette, "a 
joy that I cannot express," they entered the 
Mississippi River. Down its gentle current 
they glided, by the unique though varied 
scenes, with countless herds of buffalo 
and deer on its shores, and innumerable 
fish in its waters, until, in some ten days, 
for the first time since they left the lakes, 
they perceived some indications of human- 
ity. From the river-side a winding foot- 
path led off through the prairie; following 
this, Jolliet and Marquette soon came to 
an Indian village, in which they were 
cordially received, and which proved to 
be of the Illinois, the very people among 



whom Father Marquette had so long de- 
sired to plant a mission. They strongly 
urged our adventurers not to proceed far- 
ther, for danger would encompass them 
on every side; but, nothing daunted, 
again they embarked, and after a journey 
southward of some 60 miles, they came 
to the river Onabonbigan, or Ohio, a httle 
after which they discovered what they 
supposed to be a very rich iron mine. 

On they still went, through several 
nations of hostile Indians, encountering 
dangers of every kind, until they came 
among the Akamsea or Arkansas Indians, 
nearly where De Soto had breathed hia 
last, 130 years before. From this tribe 
they learned they were only ten days' 
journey from the sea, where were sta- 
tioned traders who appeared much like 
themselves, and came and went in great 
sliips. Judging these correctly to be 
Spaniards, our travellers were in doubt 
whether it would be best for them to 
push on to the mouth of the river or not. 
They had already ascertained for a cer- 
tainty that the Mississippi emptied, not, 
as was supposed, on the eastern coast of 
Virginia, or through California into the 
Western Ocean, but into the Gulf of 
Mexico, from which they certainly could 
not be far; that mouth they knew to be 
held by the Spaniards, with whom they 
were on no friendly terms. Should they 
happen to fall into the hands of these 
Spaniards, they could anticipate nothing 
less than to be held as prisoners, since 
not only were their respective countries 
at war, but that the results of their ex- 
plorations might not be carried back to 
the French, and thus induce encroach- 
ments on the territory held in the name 
of Spain. Thinking it then more prudent 
to return, that tlie fruits they had already 
gathered might not be at once lost by an 
effort to grasp too much, on the 17th of 
July they left the village Akamsea, and 
commenced pulling back their canoes up 
the Mississippi current. They took, on 



'J)ISCOVERY AND SETTLEMENT OP MACKINAC. 



165 



returning, however, a different course. 
Having ascended the Illinois River, they 
crossed over the portage to the Chicago 
River, and thence down to what was then 
called Lake Illinois, but winch has since 
changed its name to Lake Michigan. 
Coasting along the shore, they returned 
to Green Bay, and there, at the Mission 
of St. Francis Xavier, Father Marquette, 
on account of the enfeebled and shattered 
state of his health, spent the ensuing 
winter and summer of IGH. 

This was in reality the first exploration 
of the Mississippi River. Ferdinand De 
Soto, it is true, generally has the credit 
of having first discovered it as early as 
1541; but, in the first place, whatever 
expeditions he made were for the purpose 
of gain and plunder, and so a great deal 
that would have demanded the notice of 
one with more liberal and unselfish aims, 
was quite passed over by him; and then 
the accounts and reports of his travels 
that still remain are of sucli an unreliable 
character, that but little dependence can 
be placed in them. 

In accordance with his promise to the 
nations on the Mississippi River, Father 
Marquette embarked, in the month of No- 
vember, 1674, to take among them another 



journey, more exclusively than the first, 
of a religious character. Though detamed 
on the way by illness, he reached the 
Illinois nation, on the Mississippi, and 
commenced a mission in their midst, as 
he had long desired; but he was obliged, 
the following spring, on account of his 
declining health, to commence his return, 
that he might, if possible, die where some 
Christian brother could give him an ap- 
propriate burial; but in this he was dis- 
appointed. His health and strength con- 
tinned failing rapidly, until, on the 15th 
of May, 1675, on the shore of Lake Michi- 
gan, just within the mouth of a little river 
that bears his name, he was lifted out of 
his canoe and placed under a shed of bark 
and twigs, but to be borne thence to his 
grave on an eminence overlooking both 
lake and river. Subsequently, the Kisha- 
bon Indians, once of the mission at La 
Pointe, dug up and unrolled the remains, 
and dissecting and washing the bones, 
according to their custom, put them neat- 
ly into a box of birch bark, and bore 
them, with a convoy of thirty canoes, to 
the house of St. Ignatius, at Michilimacki- 
nac, where they were interred with all 
due ceremonies, to be disturbed again, 
most likely, not till the last day. 



DISCOVERY AND SETTLEMENT OF MACKINAC. 



Old Hackiiiac. 

First visited by the Courriers du Bois 
and Jesuit missionaries in 1620. 

Permanent settlement in 167 1, by Father 
Marqueti'E, an eminent Jesuit missionary, 
who, four year>! previous, in 1G67. visited 
the .Sault Sto. Marie, and e»xtended his jour- 
ney to La Pointe, on one of the Apostle Isl- 
ands, Lake Superior, wiiere he located an 
Indian mission. In 1 669 he came to Point 
St. Ignace. in the Straits of Mackinac, and 
established another Indian mission Two 



years thereafter, he located a mission and 
trading-station at Old Michilimackinac, or 
" Pequotenonge " of the Chippewa dialect. 
In 1673, Father Marquette, by order 
of his superiors, left St. Ignace and pro- 
ceeded to Green Bay, thence up the Fox 
River, crossing Lake Winnebago, and 
down the Wisconsin River to the Mississip- 
pi, being the first discoverer and explorer 
of the Upper Mississippi River. He de- 
scended the stream to the mouth of the 
Ohio River, and returned to Lake Michi- 
gan by the route of the Illinois River, 



166 



ISLAND OF MACKINAC. 



being the first white man that ever visit- 
ed the above region of country. 

On the 19th day of May, 1675, Father 
Marquette, wliose life was devoted to the 
cause of reUgion and the welfare of the 
Indians, died on the east shore of Lake 
Michigan, at the mouth of the present 
Marquette River. His body was subse- 
quently brought by the Indians, in 1677, 
to St. Ignace Mission, where his remains 
were interred, according to his own re- 
quest wlien living. 

Old Michilimackinac was for many 
years the metropolis of the Chippewa and 
Ottawa tribes of Indians, the country be- 
ing claimed by the French, who tradM 
with the Indians, it being the rendez- 
vous of all the tribes in this part of the 
country. 

The Indians remained on friendly terms 
with the French until 1760, when the 
English took possession of the country 
after the capture of Quebec and capitu- 
lation of the French forces in Canada. 

In 1761, the Knglish built a palisade 
fort at Old Michilimackinac, and traded 
with the Indians, many of whom were 
very hostUe. In May, 1763, the garrison 
was surprised, and most of them massa- 
cred by the Indians. Out of twelve Eng- 
lish posts above Montreal, nine were 
similarly surprised and captured by the 
combined Indian forces under the cele- 
brated Indian chief Poxtiac. Niagara, 
Detroit, and Du Quesne, or Pittsburgh, 
alone narrowly escaped a similar fate. 
After the above massacre, Old Michili- 
mackinac was abandoned by the English, 
and the Island of Mackinac selected as a 
permanent settlement in 1764. 



Island of Mackinac. 

First visited by the French in 1620, 
who found it numerously inhabited by 
Iiiiliaus of the Ohippewa, Huron, and Ot- 
tauii tribes, who resided on the Great 



Manitoulin Island and the surrounding 
shores of Lakes Huron, Michigan, and 
Superior, forming a numerous and war- 
l.ke people, under different chiefs. 

After the massacre at Old Michilimack- 
inac, in 1764, the Island of Mackinac 
was selected by the English as a military 
position, and the present fortifications 
commenced which stand on the brow of 
the hUl overlooking the town, now ren- 
dered famous as a healthy place of resort 
for invalids and others during the sum- 
mer and autumn months. 

The Indian name of this lovely and ro- 
mantic island was Me-she-ne-mock-e-nang- 
gonge, or the Island of "Great Giant Fairies 
or Genii." According to Schoolcraft, the 
name of the island was translated from 
another Indian word into the Island of 
the "Great Turtle." 

After the Revolutionary "War, in 1793, 
the island and fortress were surrendered 
to the American Government by the Brit- 
ish, and remained in our possession until 
1812, when the garrison was surprised 
and captured by a British force of regu- 
lars and Indians, who »landed on the 
north side of the island, now called tlie 
English Landing. In 1814, an American 
torce, under Colonel Croghan, of Sandusky 
notoriety, undertook to recapture the fort, 
but were met on the Dousman Farm, near 
the present dwelling-house, and repulsed 
with considerable loss, Major Holmes, the 
second in commaud, having been killed in 
the engagement. 

Fort *S^. George, situated on the highest 
part of the island, was erected by the 
Britisli, who retained possession of the 
island until 1815, when it was peaceably 
surrendered to the Americans, after the 
Ti-eaty of Ghent was signed, the name of 
the fort being changed to Foii Houae^^ 
in honor of tlie gallant ^iajor Holmes, 
who was killed the pi-evious year. Fort 
Holmes has since been al)andoncd and 
allowed to go to ruin, the fort standing 
on the brow of the hill overlooking the 



COPPER MINES OF THE POKTAGE DISTRICT. 167 

town being the only defensive work on I officers' quarters, hospital, chapel, maga- 
the island. Within the fort are barracks, 1 zine, and store-rooms. 



^trait§ of Mackinac. 

TABLE OP, DISTANCEa 

♦ Miles. 

From MacVinac to Detour Passage, E. by i N 36 

" Mackinac to Waugoshance Light, "W. i S. --^t 

" Mackinac to Duncan Dock, S.E. i S ^H 

*'- Mackinac to Old Mackinac, S.W | 

" Mackinac to Point St. Ignace, West ^ 

»' Mackinac to Bois Blanc Island, S.E ^ 

»' Mackinac to Bois Blanc Light, E'ast ^^ 

" Mackinac to Round Island, S.E 

« Mackinac to Isle St. Martin, North 

«' Mackinac to Point St. Martin, N.E. 

»' Mackinac to mouth Carp River, North 

" Mackinac to mouth Pine River, North *° 



IsHand of Mackinac. 

TABLE OP DISTANCES. 

Miles. 

|. 

From the Town to Fort Holmes t 

" " Robinson's Folly .* 

" " Arched Rock • • •••-•. 

Roman Catholic, Protestant, and Military Cemeteries 

" " Sugar Loaf 

" *'■ Lover's Leap 

u a Pyramid Rock 

" " Devil's Kitchen 

" »' Chimney Rock . ,'. 21 

" " Chapman's Clearing | 



2f 



Dousman Farm. 
English Landing. 



A Vi§it lo the Mines of the Portage District, 

The copper mines of the oldest date are } The Hancock Mine, l^^f ^ed ™mediat^^^ 
located on the Hancock side of Portage I ly west of the -"^^f ' ^^jl^^^^^^^^^^ 
Lake, hero about a quarter of a mile m ; developed, promises to }iel.l large quanti 
width, being distant from three-fourths ties of copper ore. 

to one or two miles from the steamboat The Quincy Mine, ^^t^^^^d on the b ow 
^j^j.f. 1 of the hill overlooking the lake ana sw 



168 



COPPER MINES OF THE PORTAGE DISTRICT. 



rounding country, is at present the most 
productive mine in the Portage District. 
Here are 6 or 7 shafts in full operation, 
bringing up large quantities of copper 
ore; some of the shafts now extend 600 
or 800 feet in depth, the descent being 
made by many of the visitors. 

The Pewabic Mine lies next in range, 
on the top of the hill, and is very produc- 
tive. It is elevated 6:^0 feet above the sur- 
face of the lake. From the highest works, 
rising 50 or 60 feet from the ground, an 
extensive view can be obtained of Lake 
Superior on both sides of Keweenaw 
Point, and, during clear weather, Isle 
Royale, in the far distance northward. 
The specimens of ore and crj^stalUzed 
quartz obtained at this mine are highly 
prized. A winding carriage-road leads 
from the stamp-works, on the margin of 
the lake, directly to this location, passing 
through a beautiful grove of forest-trees. 

The FRA>rKLiN Mine, a short distance 
farther northeast, is profitably worked by 
an enterprising company, and managed 
by the same agent as the Pewabic. On 
the brow of the hill is a considerable set- 
tlement of miners connected with the 
above works, while tram-roads run from 
each of the mines to the bottom of the 
hill, where are situated extensive stamp- 
works. These are all worthy of a visit, 
as well as the Smelting Works, situated 
near the water's edge. 

Tlie Mesnard Mine lies next beyond 
the Frankhn, and. is also a valuable loca- 
tion. Here was found, in 1862, a large 
mass of native copper, weighing about 20 
tons, which led to a thorough exploration 
of that part of the range, resulting in a 
development justifying extensive opera- 
tions, which are now in active progress. 

The Pontiac, St. Mary's, Dudley^ and 
Albany and Boston Mines, next follow on 



the range northeast, and are easily reach- 
ed, all lying on the line of the mail route 
runninnr from Portage Lake to Eagle River, 
being elevated some 500 or 600 feet above 
the waters of the lake. 

The Highland, Douglass, Concord, Arca- 
dian, Edwards, and Dover, are new and 
promising mines on the north side of the 
lake, one or two miles east of the Frank- 
lin Mine. 

A light one-horse vehicle is the best 
mode of conveyance to these mines, al- 
though they are easily reached on foot, 
ascending directly to the Quincy or Pe- 
wabic Mines by good though steep car- 
riage-roads. 

On the Houghton side of the lake the 
mines of the most interest and easiest 
of access are the Sheldon- Columbian, Grand 
Portage, Isle Royale, and Hurmi Mines, 
lying contiguous on the brow of the 
hill, being elevated from 300 to 500 feet 
above Portage Lake. The specimens ob- 
tained from these mines are of a rich, 
character. 

The above mines can most easily be 
reached on foot, the road being steep and 
rocky. A tram-road conveys the ore to 
stamp-works in the village of Houghton, 
situated near the water's edge, from 
whence the copper is shipped to Eastern 
markets. 

The other mines on the south side of 
Portage Lake are the Dodge, Dacota, and 
South Side Mines. Other mineral localities 
in the vicinity are as yet undeveloped on 
both sides of Portage Lake, this whole 
region, no doubt, being underlaid by 
masses of pure copper, wliich, sooner or 
later, will be brought to light by means 
of capital and industry. 

The following Table will show the 
productions of the various mines in the 
District for the past three jeaxsi — 



LAKE SUPERIOR COPPER MINING COMPANIES. 



169 



1S64. 



1863. 



1§62. 



Tons, 

Quincy 1,485 

Pewabic 932 

Franklin 781 

Isle Royale 363 

Grand Portage 316 

Huron 310 



Hancock 

Mesnard 

Sheldon- Columbian . 

Arcadian 

Albany and Boston . 

Douglass , 

St. Mary's , 



50 
28 
11 
5 
3 
2 
2 



Total 4,292 

Increase of 1863 over 1862. 
Increase of 1864 over 1863. 



Lbs. 
1,362 

791 

880 
1,676 

196 
1,622 

182 

190 
23 

680 

40 

1,459 

590 

1,691 



Tons. 

1,472 

1,083 

780 

372 

247 

69 

72 

9 

3 



Lbs. 

1,531 
752 
189 
920 
883 
283 
320 

1,185 

1.254 



000 



Tons. 

1,252 

1,025 

945 

520 

* 98 
66 
33 



Lbs. 
1,493 
1,789 
1.194 
1,030 

874 
846 
000 



4,100 1,317 



3,942 1,226 



1 64 tons, 
186 " 



Increase of 1864 over 1862 350 



91 lbs. 
374 " 

465 " 



Considering the increased number of 
mines in 1864 over 1862, the gain has 
not, apparently, been in proportion, and a 
little explanation may be necessary. In 
1862 tlie amount of ingot copper produced 
was 3,075 tons, while in 1864 it was 3,400 
tons, which excess, when reduced to 80 
pe'r cent, mineral, gives 380 tons instead 
of 350 tons gain as shown in the preceding 
table. Tliis has been occasioned by im- 
provements ill washing machinery, where- 
by a greater purity of mineral is obtained, 



but the number of tons is decreased. An- 
other item is the scarcity of labor for the 
past two years, and every new mine that 
has been started has drawn away labor- 
ers from producing mines, while the new 
mines have produced nothing. 

The prospects for another year, if labor 
grows no scarcer, are much more flatter- 
ing than those for the three years past, 
and we may expect a decided increase 
over the product of 1864 — say 800 tons. 



Liake 


Superior Copper ^Mining^ €oinpante§. 


Name. 


Agent. 


President. 


Office. 


Adventxtee,* 


8. S. Robinson, 


Thomas F. Mason, 


New York, 51 Ex. M. 


^TNA,t 


R. J. Wood, 


Dinkley, 


Philadelphia. 


Albant and Boston,^ 


James D. Hague 


Horatio Bigelow, 


Boston. 


Algomah,* 




Wm. S. Thatcher, 


Boston. 


ALLOUEZ,t 


E. J. Hulbert, 


J. A. Duvee. 


Boston. 


A.MYGDALOID,t 


A. C. Davis, 


Georse L. Oliver, 


Philadelphia. 


Arcadian,$ 


M. Graveldingen, 


Wm. D. F. Manice, 


New York. 


ARNOLD,t 


John Hulbert, Jr., 


J. M. Howe, 




ATLA8,t 


Joseph Paul. 


James Beck, 


Boston. 


Aztec* 


Edward Jennings, 


Stephen Ball, 


Boston. 



* Ontonagon District. 



t Keewenaw District, 



X Portage District 



ITO 



COPPER MINING COMPANIES. 



yame. 
Bay STATE.t 

B< HEMIAN,* 

Caledonia,* 
Cakp Lake,* 

(^•ASCADE,* 

Centra ut 
Copper FALL8,t 

C0CLTER,t 

Cuyahoga,* 
Dacotaii,$ 

DANA,t 
DELAWARE,t 

Dekby,* 

DODGE.$ 

DORCHESTEE,^ 

D0L'GLAS8,J 

Dovek4 

DtJDLEY.J 

Eagle HARBOB,t 
Eagle KivER,t 

EMPlRE,t 
EUP.EKA,* 

Evergreen Blttff,* 
Flint Steel Kiveb,* 
Forest City, 
Franklin.J 
Garden CiTY,t 

GiP.ARD.t 

Gp.and Port age, J 

Hamilton,* 

Hancock,! 

nANOVER,t 

Hartfokd,* 

lIir.HLAND,$ 

Hilton,* 

HoPE,t 

Hudson,* 

Humboldt,^ 

Huron,$ 

Indiana,* 

Isle Koyale,^ 

Knowlton,* 

Lafayette,* 

Lake Supebioe,* 

MADI80N,t 
MANDAN,t 
MANHATTAN,t 

Mass,* 

MENDOTA,t 

Mesnard,$ 

MiCIIIGAN.t 

Minnesota,* 

National,* 
Na['mkeag4 

New ENGLAND,t 

NoKTIlWESTEEN,t 

Norwich,* 
Ogima,* 
Ontonagon * 

PENN,t 



Agent. 
Jacob Houghton, 
Win. E. Dickiuson, 

Burgess, 

Daniel Beasen, 

C. B. Petre, 
John Uren, 

Bichard Moyle, 



8. "W. Hill, 
Capt. Heims, 
George Asmus, 



E. C. Roberts, 
A. A. Bennett, 
W. W. Henderson, 
D. S. Cash, 
L. C. Patterson, 
John H. Welch, 

J. H. Foster, 
J. H. Gatis, 
A. B. Wood, 
Wm. B. True, 
Capt. Sowden, 
Edward Collom, 
A. B. Wood, 
A. Kermath, 

8. S. Robinson, 
H. Merryweather, 
Capt. Heims, 

John Collom, 
Henry Buzzo, 
Austin Mabbs, 
J. B. Townsend, 
Daniel Beasen, 
J. B. Townsend, 
Richard Uren, 
A. B. Wood, 
Ij. C. Ferguson, 
Wm. Webb, 

Jacob Houghton, 
A. B. Wood, 
Wm. Harris, 
Wm, Webb, 

Capt M. Moynaban, 

Capt. Sowden, 
Wm. W. Spalding, 
D. P. Waite. 



President 

John S. Tyler, 
Wm. R. Griffith, 
John C. McKenzie, 
H. G. Dunnel, 
P. C. Blancan, 
Jordan L. Mott, 
Horatio Bigelow, 
M. Moore, 

C. G. HuBsey, 

Joseph G. Henszey, 
A. Muir, 
C. C. Douglass, 
L. H. Clark, 

Augustus Whitlock, 
Wm. Hey wood, 

Charles D. Head, 
George L Oliver, 
I. T. Hotchkiss, 
Robert Shultze, 
R. H. Rickard, 
Peter Thatcher, 
Henrv Crocker, 
G. S. Hulbard, 
T. S. Fernon, 
A. H. Sibley, 
Thos. F. Mason, 
O. A. Farwell, 
J. A. Dupee, 



Thos. F. Mason, 
R. H. Rickard, 
A. Muir, 
H. Bigelow, 
Wm. Hcywood, 

R. C. Burlage, 
Thos. F. Mason, 
H. G. Dunnel, 
Thos. F. Mason, 
Horatio Bieelow, 
George L. 6liver, 
Wm. Sheafe, 
C. G. Hussey, 

Henry Crocker, 
Thos. F. Mason, 
Joseph Rudd, 
T. M. Howe, 
G. W. Coffin, 
Wm. L. Beal, 
J. K. Moorhi ad, 
Edward WolflE, 
W. A. Cobb, 



M. Moore, 



Office. 
Boston. 

New York, 21 Nassau. 
New York. 
New York, 70 Wall. 
New York, 85 Wall. 
New York, 2S4 PearL 
Boston. 
Philadelphia. 
Cloveland, Ohio. 
Boston. 

Philadelphia. 

New York, 35 Wall 

New York. 

Boston. 

New York. 

New York, 11 Wall 

Boston. 

New York. 

Boston. 

Philadelphia. 

NewYork, 137 B'way. 

New York, 44 Ex. PI. 

New York, 19 Nassau. 

New York. 

New York. 

Chicago, HI. 

Philadelphia. 

New York, 22 Pine. 

New York, 29 WalL 

Boston. 

Boston. 



New York. 

New York, 21 Nassfto. 

New York, 35 Wall. 

Boston. 

Boston. 

New York, 

New York. 

New York. 

New York. 

New York. 

Boston, 

Philadelphia. 

New York. 

Pittsburgh, Pa. 

New York. 

Boston. 

New York. 

New York, 12 Pine. 

Pittsburgh, Pa. 

Boston. 

Boston. 

Boston. 

New York. 

New York. 

OntoHiigon, Mich. 

Philadelphia. 



\ 



* Ontonagon District. 



t Keewenaw District. 



t Portage DistK't 



IRON MINING AND MANUFACTURING COMPANIES. 



Name. 



PENNSYLVANIA,t 
PETHKKICK,t 

Pewabic.J 

PuiKNIX.t 

Pittsburgh & Boston (Cliff),! 

PONTIACj 
PR<>VlDENCE,t 

Quincy4 

KEI.IANCE,t 
KE80LUTE,t 
KlUGE,* 

Rockland,* 

8t. CLAlR,t 

St. Mary"8,$ 

Sharon,* 

Sheldon -Columbian, J 

SlLVElt CREEK,t 
SOCIETE FKAXgAISB,^ 

Soi;th Side,J 

8TAR,t 
SCFFOLK,$ 

Superior,* 

TOLTEC,* 

Tremont,* 
Union,* 

Victoria,* 

West Minnesota,* 

"Winona,* 

WlNTUROP,t 

* Ontonagon District, 



Agent. 

8. W. Hill, 
John Uren, 
J. H. Foster, 

James Watson, 
Jacob Houghton, 

S. S. Robinson 
Capt. H. Letcher, 

8. S. Robinson, 
J. B. Townsend, 

J. D. Hague, 
Capt. Heima, 
J. H. Foster, 

F. Barthelemy, 
C. F. Eschweiler, 
Hall, 

J. B. Townsend, 
Henry Buzzo, 
A. Stockley, 
C. Fisher, 
A. Stockley, 
James Little, 
Joel Fresider, 



President 
J. G. Honszey, 
Horatio Bigelow, 
E. L. Baker, 
John Jackson, 
0. 6. Hussey, 
A. Shurtleff, 
0. F. Burckett, 
Thos. F. Mason, 
C. W. Thomas, 

Thos. F. Mason, 
Charles E. Smith, 

E. L. Baker, 
A. Muir, 
John Stewart, 



T. H. Perkins, 

C. C. Douglass, 
C. E. Smith, 
L. W. Clark, 

James Carson, 
Benj. Howard, 



G. C. Jones, 



Office. 
Philadelphia. 
Boston. 
Boston. 
Boston. 

Pittsburgh, Pa. 
Boston. 
New York. 
New York. 
New York. 
Philadelphia. 
New York. 
New York. 

Boston. 
New York. 
New York. 

Paris, France. 
Boston. 
Boston. 
New York. 
New York. 
Boston. 

New York. 

Boston. 

Boston. 

Philadelphia. 

Boston. 



t Keewenaw District. 



% Portage District. 



Iron minings Companies. 



Kame. 
Cleveland, 
Iron Mountain, 
Jackson, 
Lake Superior, 
Magsktic. 

MAR(iirETTE, 

New England, 
New York, 
Pittsburgh, 
Teal Lake, 
Washington, 



President. 
Wm. J. Gordon, 
George K. Hall, 
David Stewart, 
Edwin Parsons, 
John C. McKenzie, 
John Outhwaite, 
E. B.Ward. 
Samuel J. Tilden, 
G. E. Hall, 
John Wheelwright, 
Jos. S. Fav, 
H. B. Tuttle & Son, Agents, 



Secretary. 
S. L. Mather, 
T. D. Ells, 

S. P. Ely, 
Alex. Campbell, 
8. L. Mather, 



T. D. Ells, 
S. P. Ely, 



Office. 
Cleveland, Ohio. 
Cleveland, Ohio. 
New York. 
Marquette. -. 
Marquette. 
Cleveland. Ohio. 
Detroit, Mich. 
New York. 
Cleveland, Ohio. 
New York. 
Marquette. 
Cleveland, Ohio. 



Name. 
Bancroft, 
Collins, 
Greenwood, 
Morgan, 
Northern, 

PlONKBB, 



Iron Hanufacturing Companies. 

Secretary. 



Presiden t. 
Wm. E. Dodge, 
M. Lock wood, 
Jos. J^. Fay. 
L. H. Morgan, 
L. D. Harvey, 
John C. McKenzie, 



S. P. Ely, 
M. Hopnock, 
Henry Baldwin, 



Office. 
New York. 
Detroit. 
Marquette. 
Marquette. 
New York. 
New York. 



172 



MINERAL WEALTH OF LAKE SUPERIOR. 



Silver-Lead and Oold ITIinisig Companies. 



Name. 
American Gold and Silver Lead Company, 

Chippewa Mining Company, 
Cincinnati Gold and Silver Company, 
Crystal Lake Silver-Lead Company, 
Consolidated Silvkr-Lead Company, 
Eldorado Su.vkr-Lead Company, 
Granite VAi.t^:Y Silver-Lead Company, 
Galena .•^it-vkh Company, 
Holyoke Mining Company. 
ISAUELLA Silver-Lead Company, 
Lake Superior Silver-Lead Company, 
Marquette Mining Company, 
Marquette Silver Mining Company, 
Mr HiGAN Gold Company, 
Nop.Tii Silver Lake Company, 
Northern Light Silver-Lead Company, 
North Star Silver Lead Company, 
Silver Lake Mining Company, 
8ed(}\vick Mining Company, 
Sacramento Silver-Lead Company, 
Union Gold Company, 



President or Agent, 
Ransom Sheldon, President^ 
Wm. P. Spalding, Agent, 
M. Graveldinger, President, 
Jonathan Cox, President, 
W. P. Beach, Agent, 
Eansoin Sheldon, President, 
Jas. A. Close, President, 
M.W. Fechheimer, President, 

W. A. Northrnp, President, 

A. IT. Sibley, President, 
M. Moore, President, 

B. G. Sweet, Agent, 

George Fuller, President, 



George Fuller, President, 

H. C. Parke. President, 
Myron Tompkins, President, 



Office. 
Houghton, Mich. 
Philadelphia. 
Houghton, Mich. 
Houghton. Mich. 
Hartford, Conn. 
Houffhton. Mich. 
Hancock, Mich. 
Houghton. Mich. 
Springfield, Mass. 
Houghton, Mich. 
New York. 
Philadelphia. 
Detroit, Mich. 
Marquette, Mich. 
Houghton, Mich. 
Marquette, Mich. 
Marquette, Mich. 
Houghton, Mich. 
Marquette, Mich. 
Hancock, Mich. 
Houghton, Mick 



Mineral Wealth of I^ake Superior, 



The copper region of Lake Superior 
in which mining is now actively prose- 
cuted is embraced within the following 
districts: The K^t^wenaio, Portage Lake, 
Ontonagon, and Carp Labi. Their bound- 
aries are wholly local, that of Keewenaw 
embracing a large portion of that county, 
and in which are located the following 
well-known mines: Tlie Pittsburgh and 
Boston (CHfF), Manhattan, Phoenix, Bay 
State, Central, Northwest. Copper Falls, 
Amygdaloid, Pennsylvania, ^tna, &c. 
That of Portage Lake, the range as it 
passes through Houghton County, and 
comprising, among others, the following 
mines: The Quincy, Pewabic, Franklin, 
Mesnard, St. Mary's, Albany and Boston, 
Columbian, Grand Portage, Isle Royale, 
and Huron. Tlio Ontonagon and Carp 
Lake are both in Ontonagon County, the 
former containing the following, among 
other mines: The Minnesota, National, 
Rockland, Superior, Flint Steel, Evergreen 
Bhiflf, Knowlton, Caledonia, Aztec, Hilton, 
Bohemian, &c. ; the latter comprising the 



Carp Lake, Cuyahoga, Lafayette, and 
Union, with several others that will break 
ground tlie coming spring. 

In point of age the Keewenaw is the 
oldest district, tlie Pittsburgh and Boston 
Mine having been opened in 1815. The 
Ontonagon comes next, the Minnesota 
having been opened about 1849. Then 
come the Portage Lake and Carp Lake, 
the whole comprising a district of country 
from four to twenty miles wide, stretch- 
ing from Keewenaw Point to the Montreal 
River, a distance of about 100 miles. 

in each of jLhe districts mining is stead- 
ily progressing in larger and richer open- 
ings, in use of abundant and appropriate 
machinery, and in such an increase of 
products as is most gratifying. 

No great material interest of the coun- 
try rests upon a firmer or more enduring 
basis at this time than copper mining 
upon Lake Superior, an I nono will more 
surelv add annually from its eonstantl.y 
increasing products to the rapidly aug- 
menting wealth of the nation. 



STEAMBOAT BOUTES. 



173 



LAicE sypEiiee um, 



FROM 



CLEVELAND AIVD DETROIT. 



1865. 




1865. 



The magnificent Steamers mentioned below will leave Cleveland and Detroit, 
forming a Daily Line to all Lake Superior Ports : — 



METEOR, 

Capt. T. Wilson. 

MAY QUEEN, 

Capt. F. S. Miller. 

NORTHERN LIGHT, 

Capt. M. H. MuRCH. 

IRONSIDES, 

Capt. J. E. Turner. 

PEWABIC, 

Capt. Geo. McKay. 



ILLINOIS, 

Capt. J. Robinson. 
TRAVELLER, 

Capt. A. Stewart. 

LAC-LA-BELLE, 

Capt. John Spalding. 

IRON CITY, 

Capt. B. a. Sweet. 

CONCORD, 

Capt. P. Pelkey. 



t^ Passengers from Bufnilo, Niagara Falls, Toronto, Hamilton, or Montreal, can 
connect with one of these Boats at Pt. Huron, on the evening of the day they 
leave Detroit. 

1^^ For further information regarding Freight or Passage, address :— 



Cleiclind Agents. 

H. GARRETSON, & CO., 

For Pewabic, Meteor, Illinois, and Mineral 
Kock. 

ROBERT TIANNA & CO., 

For Northern Light, Lac-la-Belle, Traveller, 
aud Concord. 

MALONE, PETTIT & CO., 

For Ironsides, Iron City. May Queen, and 
l)ubu£i!)c. 



Detroit Agents. 

WHITING & O'GRADY, | 

For Pewabic, Meteor, and Mineral Eock. ' 

S. p. BRADY & CO., 
For May Queen, Iron City, Ironsides, and 
Illinois. 

BUCKLEY & CO., 

For Lac-la-Belle and Northern Light. 

JOHN HUTCHINGS, 
For Traveller, Concord, and Dubuque. 



nt 



STEAMBOAT ROUTES. 



PIONEER LAKE SUPERIOR LINE. 




The New and Magnificent Upper Cabin Steamers 



METEOR, 

THOS. WILSON, Master, 
"Will leave Cleveland, 8 p. m. Mondays. 

June 26 

July 10, 24 

August 7, 21 

September 4, 18 

October 2 



I^E^V\^^BIC, 

GEO. McKAY, Master. 
Will leave Cleveland, 8 p. m. Mondays. 

July 3, 17, 31 

August 14, 

September 11, 

October 



28 

25 

9 

• 



Leaving DETROIT on the day following the above named, at 2 o'clock p. 
calling at PORT HURON and SARXIA the same evening. 

This is the most pleasant, healthful, and cheapest trip on the American Continent. 

The within-named favorite boats will run as advertised during the season of 1865. They are 
officered by men of long experience on the route, who will devote themselves to the comfort and 
safety of passengers. 

No one should fail to visit this new, growing, and wonderful country. Its immense mineral 
deposits arc attracting the attention of the whole scientific world. Its immense mountains of 
almost pure Iron, its inexh uistible Native Copper and Silver Mines, the new discoveries of Silver 
Lead, and that tnauMiificent and singular formation, the Pictured liociis, form a series of irresistible 
attractions to the speculator and geologist. The cool and liracing atmosphere suggests recovery of 
perfect health to the invaliil. and the sportsman, with his rod and line, will find abundant recrea- 
tion in angling fur the beautiful speckled trout, in the finest fishing strcauis iu the world. 

This Trip, of over 1.000 miles, embraces six desrees of latitude and eleven of longitude, and in- 
cludes ill its circuit Lakes Erie, St Clair, Huron, and Superior, and the beautiful rivers Detroit, St. 
Clair, and Ste. Maries. 

Grand Pleasure Excursions to all points of interest on Lake Superior will be made through the 
months of July ajd August — leaving Cleveland and Detroit on the days as before stated. 

For further information regarding Freight or Passage, address, 

GARRETSON & CO., 

No. 1 RIVER STREET, CLEVELAND, OHIO. 

WHITING & O'GRADY, 

Foot op First Street, Detroit, Mich. 

J. T. WHITING, & CO., Managers, 

Foot of First Streeti, Detroit, Mich. 



STEAMBOAT ROUTES. 

GOODRICH'S 

LAKE SUPERIOR LINE. 



The splendid, First-Class Passenger Steamboat PLANET, Captain B. Wil- 
KINS, will run during the season of 1865, leaving CHICAGO at 7 o'clock in the 
evening, for ONTONAGON, and all Intermediate Ports, on the following days: — 



Thursday, June 15. 
Wednesday, June 28. 
Tuesday, July 11. 
Monday, July 24. 
Saturday, August 5, 
Friday, August 18. 
Thursday, August 3L 



Wednesday, September 13. 
Tuesday, September 26. 
Monday, October 9. 
Saturday, October 21. 
Friday, November 3. 
Thursday, November 16. 
Wednesday, November 29. 

Office and Docks below Rush Street Bridge. For Freight or Passage ap- 
ply on board, or to jr. E. DALlilBA, Ag'ent, 

Gro<^c3.x*lol3.'ei XjA.ls.e jSlxoxre Xiixxe. 

Steamboats mi Lake Micliigau. 

A First-Class Boat will leave Goodrich's Dock, below Rush Street Bridge, 

Every Morning (Sundays excepted), 

At 9 o'clock, for 

MILWAUKEE, KENOSHA, KAOINE, 
Port Washingtonj Sheboygan, Manitov70C, 

and Two Rivers. 

Extending their trips to Kewaunee, Wolf River, and Escanaba every Friday. Con- 
nectiug at the latter port with the 

PEISriNSULA.R RA-IL^V^^A-Y, 

For Marquette and other ports on Lake Superior. During the season of navigation. 
Passengers and Freight carried clieaper than by any other line. 

^^ Passengers will please purchase their tickets on board the boats. First 
Class includes Meals and Berths. For Freight or Passage, apply on board, or to 

J. E. BALLIBA, Agent, Chicago. 



176 RAIL&OAD ROUTES. 

CHICAGO 



AND 



Hiif HWEif EiH iAILWM, 




GRAND CONSOLIDATED LINE. 

Comprising all principal Railroads from Chicago directly 



Chicago and Northwestern Railway Wisconsin Division, Chicago to Green Bay. 

Galena and Chicago Union Railway. Galena do. Chicago to Freeport. 

Dixon Air-Line Railroad Galena do. Chicago to Fulton. 

Cedar Rapids and Missouri River Line. Iowa do. Fulton to Nevada, Iowa. 

Kenosha, Rockford, and Rock Island Railroad Kenosha to Rockford. 

Fox River Valley Railroad and Beloit and Madison Branch. 

SIX EXPEESS TEAINS LEAVE CHICAGO DAILY 

On the different branches of the 

Chicago & Northwestern Railway, 

In Connection with Trains from the East and South, for Dixon, Fulton, Clin- 
ton, Cedar Rapids, Nevada, Des Moines, Council Bluffs, and Omaha ; Rock- 
ford, Beloit, Freeport, Mineral Point, Galena, Dunleith, Dubuque, Indepen- 
dence, and Cedar Falls; Janesville, Madison, Prairie du Chien, La Crosse, St. i 
Paul, Watertown, Fond du Lac, Oshkosh, Ripon, Berlin, Green Bay, Escanaba, 
l^farquette, and all points in 

Northern Illinois, Iowa, "Wisconsin, Minnesota, 

and the 

LAKE &UPEEIOR COUNTRY. 



BAILKOADS AND STEAMBOATS. 177 

CHICAGO 

AND 

nOBTHWinEBN RAIIWAY. 



Connections are made with Splendid Packets at DUKLEITH, PRAIKIE 
DU CmEN, and LA CROSSE, for points on tlie 

UPPER MISSISSIPPI RIVER. 

First Class Tickets include Meals and State Booms on tke Steamers. 
Connections are made at Green Bay, with fine steamers for Escanaba on 
Little Bay de Noc, thence by the Peninsular Railroad to Marquette, and 
the Iron and Copper Mines. For LAKE SUPERIOR this is the shortest 
and most direct route. The Iowa Division of this Company is completed 
to Boonsboro', 343 miles west of Chicago. Trains running through without 
change of Cars at the Mississippi River ; and 25 miles less Staging to Des 
Moines, Council Bluffs, and Omaha than any other route. Superior arranged 

on Night Trains, are run to Cedar Rapids, Dunleith, Prairie dn Chien, 
Fond du Lac, and Green Bay. 

1^" Passengers for any point West or Northwest of Chicago, to avail 
themselves of the many advantages offered by this Company, should be 
particular and ask for Tickets vm ^'CHICAGO & NORTHWESTERN 

RAILWAY." 

B. F. PATRICK, Gen'l Passenger Agent, Chicago. 

GEORGE L. DUNLAP, Gen'l Superintendent* 



178 RAILKOAD ROUTES. 

ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD, 

Great Through Route to 

PEORIA, JACKSONYILLE, ST. LOUIS, 

DECATUR, QUINCY, JEFFERSON CITY, 

SPRINGFIELD, ALTON, ST. JOSEPH, 

And all parts of the WEST and SOUTHWEST. And the only direct route to 

CAIRO, MEMPHIS, NEW ORLEANS, 

And all points on the LOWER MISSISSIPPI 

TWO DAILY EXPRESS TRAINS 

Leave Chicago from the Great Central Depot, foot of Lake St., on arrival of trains 
from the East, running through to Cairo without change of cars or baggage, 'and 
connecting every evening with the splendid Steamers of the 

Atlantic and Mississippi Steamship Company, 

For Memphis, Helena, White River, Vicksburg, Natchez, New Orleans, &c. 

Passengers for the South, by taking the IlUnois Central Railroad to Cairo, save 200 
miles of river navigation, and from 36 to 48 hours in time. 

g^* Elegant Sleeping Cars attached to Night Trains. 

Baggage checked to all important points. 

For sale in the Great Central Depot, Chicago, and at all important points in the 
United States and Canadas. 

W. p. JOHNSON, W. R. ARTHUR, 

GEN'L PASSENGER AGENT, CHICAGO. GEN'L SUP'T, CHICAGO. 



RAILROADS AlO) STEAMBOATS. 179 

1865. SUiniflER ARRANOEIflEXT. 1§65. 

iiAfii imm iAiLWAY 

AND 

• STEAMERS. 



SARNIA LINE. 

Passengers leaving Buffalo (Erie street Depot) on the 7 a. M. and 2.15 p. m. Ex- 
press Trains of this Railway, leaving on TUESDAYS, THURSDAYS, and SATUR- 
DAYS, will arrive at Sarnia in time to make direct connections with Steamers be- 
low for 

Oliicago, Milwaukee, and all Points on Lake Michigan, 

And all principal places in the West and Southwest' The following steamers com- 
pose this line, sailing from SARNIA and CHICAGO: 

B. B. WADE, ANTELOPE, MONTGOMERY SUN, 

Capt. L. B. GrOLDSMiTir. Capt. T. G. Butlin. Capt. A. Gillies. Capt. II. A. Jones. 

These Steamers are acknowledged to be equal to any others on the Upper Lakes 
in their equipment, and for speed, comfort, and safety are unequalled. Passengers 
purchasing Tickets by this joint Rail and Steamboat Line will save time and expense. 



Lake Superior Route. 



Passengers by taking the trains on this Railway, as above, will connect at Sarnia 
■with all Steamers for Sault St. Marie, Marquette, Eagle Harbor, Copper Harbor, 
Ontonagon, and aU other principal points on this Lake. 

SAGBi^AW LmE. 

Trains leaving Buffalo at 7.00 a. m. on TUESDAY and FRIDAY, wQl connect at 
Goderich (weather permitting) with the first-class steamer 

HURON Capt. Cole, 

For BAY CITY, EAST SAGINAW, and SAGINAW CITY, arriving there early 
the following morning, and return from Saginaw every MONDAY and THURS- 
DAY, arriving at Goderich in ample time to connect with morning Train for Buffalo. 

^^^° Through contracts for Freight and Bills of Lading can be obtained at the 
Freight Office of this Company, River Street, Buffalo. 

Mark Freight " G. T. K. and Steamers,' 

And ship to care of R. CALYERT, Freight Agent G. T. R., Buffalo, N. Y. 

THROUGH TICKETS can be obtained by these lines of the Agents of the 
Grand Trunk Railway, at all principal points in the l"]ast, and at the Company's 

Office, "Raffo Block" (^ doors of Canai Bridge), Erie street, Buffalo. 

C. J. BRYDGES, Man. Director, (K T. II.. Montreal, C. E. 
E. P. BEACH, Gen. Agent, G. T. R., 271) Broadway, N. Y. 



180 RAILROADS AND STEAMBOATS. 

TO THE PLEASURE TRAVELLER! 

NEW AlVD IlIPORTA]\T ARRAI^GElflENT. 



Graad Troak '^ 




AND 

ROYAL MAIL LINE OF THROUGH STEAMERS, 

FROM 
TO 

MONTREAL, QUEBEC, WHITE MOUNTAINS, PORTLAND, BOSTON, LAKE 

GEORGE, SARATOGA, NEW YORK, THE RIV^ER 

SAGUENAY, &c., &c. 

Passengrers taking N. T C. train at 9.00 a. m from Buffalo, will meet at Lewiston the Steamer 
CITY OF TOKONTO, Capt. D. Milloy, for Toronto, arriving there at 2.00 p. m., where direct 
connection will be made with the following magnificent^ Upper Cabin Steamers, which compose 
the line, viz. ; 

ORECI Al^, new (iron) Capt. Hamilton. 

PASSPORT, " Capt. Kellet. 

KliVGSTON, " Capt. DuNLAP.' 

MAOXET, " Capt. Fairgreavks. 

CHAMPION, " Capt. Swale. 

NEW BOAT (out in June) Capt. Howard. 

These Steamers will leave Coburg at 8.00 p. m., Kingston 6.00 a. m., aniving at Montreal at 
6.00 p. M. 

This is the only line by which passengers can retain their State Rooms through the entire trip, 
and passing the scenery of the Thousand Islands and Kapids of the St. Lawrence by daylight. 

This route possesses peculiar advantages over any other, as by it parties have their choice of con- 
veyance between Niagara Falls and Quebec, over the whole or any portion of it, without being 
obliged to decide when purchasing their tickets ; consequently, should the weather prove unfavor- 
able, passengers may avoid LakeOntario by taking the Grand Trunk Eoad to Kingston, and from 
thence by one of the above Steamers, making close connections. No extra charge for Meals and 
State Rooms. 

The Steamer MAGNET, commencing 1st July, leaves Quebec for the far-famed Saguenay every 
TUESDAY and FRIDAY morning. Also trains on the Grand Trunk Railway leave Point Levi 
daily for River du Loup, at which point they can also take the Saguenay Steamer. 

Arraneements have been made with the proprietors of the principal Hotels at Toronto, Montreal, 
and Quebec, to take American money at par, charging New York Hotel rates. 

AMERICAN MONEY TAKEN AT PAR for Tickets by this line, which can be obtained at most 
of the principal watering places, and of the Company's agents in the United States; also at the 
office of the Company, "Ratfo Block" (two doors east of Canal bridge), Erie Street, Buffalo. 

ALEX. MILLOY, Gen. Agent, E. P. BEACH, Gen. Agent, 

ROYAL MAIL LINE STEAMERS, GRAND TRUNK RAILWAY, 
Office, Great St. James St., Montreal. 279 Broadway, New York. 



RAILKOADS AND STEAMBOATS. l.'^l 

81IIE Emm I USUI mm 





Between the EAST and WEST, is now by the 

DETROIT AND MILWAUKEE R.R. 

Two EXPRESS TRAINS leave Detroit Daily with Passengers for 

PONTIAO, HOLLY, FENTONViLLE, FLINT, 

SAGINAW, OWOSSO, ST. JOHNS, LANSING, 
GRAND RAPIDS, PORT HURON, MUSKEGON, 

Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul, St. Anthony, 

And all Points on the Mississippi River. ^ 

FIRST-CLASS, RELIABLE 




.mMm^pm 



Built expressly for this Line, ply on the Lakes 
to and from each Train. 



Close connection made at Detroit with the 

Great Western and Grand Trunk Railways of Canada, 

For Buffalo, Rochester, Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Toronto, Mcnt- 

real, Quebec, and with Cleveland and Lake Superior 

Line of Steamers. 

FOR EMIGRANTS, THIS LINE OFFERS CHEAP AND COMFORTABLE TRANSIT. 

1^ For particulars, see Company's Time Table, to be had at any of the Stations 
on application. 
The Teleg^raph Line is now open for Public Business. 



W. K. MTJIR, General Superintendent. 
D. & M. R. R. Office, Dbtroit, 1863. 



182 RAILEv)ADS AND STEAMBOATS. 

Milwaukee, Prairie du CMen & St. Paul 

RAILWAY LINE. 

F«»3- Wiaitcwater, Jaiiesville, Monroe, Madison, Prairie du 

Cliieu, I?IcOrej;or, Winona, St. q aul, Jefferson, Fond 

ilrx LiSLC, Green Bay, Beloit, Freeport, I>unleitii, 

And all Intermediate Points, 
Trains leave Milwaukee immediately on arrival of Steamers of Detroit and Milwau- 
kee R. R. Line, as follows : 

11.00 A.M.— Sr. PAUL'S EXPRESS, arriving at Prairie du Chien at P.M., 

connecting with Steamers for St. Paul and Intermediate Points, arriving at St. Paul 
auring the succeeding night, passengers remaining on board undisturbed until 
morning. 

(^ This Train also makes direct connections for Beloit, Freeport, Rockford, etc. 

5.45 P.M.— NI(jHr EXPRESS, with Sleeping Car attached, arriving at Prairie 
du (Jhien at x\..M. 

g^ Both the above Trains make direct connections at Miltou Junction for 
Fort Atkinson, Jefterson, Fond du Lac, Oshkosh, Appleton, Green Bay, Berlin, etc., 
arriving at all these points at the same time as by competing routes. 

Passengers for St. i'aul and Intermediate Points, by taking tliis route, make the 
change from Cars to S!.t.aniers by daylight, obtaining Supper and a full night's rest 
on board, and arrive at St. Paul, etc., as soon as by any other route. These ad- 
vantages can not be secured by any other route. 

Through Tickets sold tj all the above-named points, as low as by any other route. 

And Intermediate Points leave Chicago by Chicago and Northwestern Railway at 
A.M. 

Via Prairie du Cliien, 

Arrive at Prairie du Chien at P.M., 

Making direct connection with Steamers, and getting Supper on board, and arrive 
at St Paul the succeeding evening. 

gW° No change of Cars between Chicago and Prairie du Chien. No extra charge 
or Meals or State Rooms on Steamers. 

The Splendid, First-Class Steamers, 

Milwaukee, Key City, War lagle, Itasca, and Northern Light, 

Unequaled in elegance, speed, and comfort by any other Line, 
1.EAVJE ST. PAUL. DAILY, ABOUT 7 JP. M., 

Arriving at Milwaukee at P.M., and Chicago at P.M., making direct con- 

nections at both points with Trains for the East. 

WILLIAM JERVIS, Superintendent. 
J C. SPENCER, General Manager. 



STEAMBOAT ROUTES. 183 

AMERICAN EXPRESS STEAMERS. 



LAXE ONTARIO AND RIVER ST. LAWRENCE. 



1866. ^^kK:<;d:;\^ 1865. 



The Splendid Upper Cabin Side-Wheel Steamers, 

ONTARIO, CATARACT, EHIPRESS, 

Capt. J. B. ESTES, Capt. J. H. LEDYARD, Capt. C. B. DeWITT, 

On MONDAY, the 8th of May, 1865, will commence their regular trips, forming 

A TRI-WEEKLY LINE 

BETWEEN 

TOUCHING AT CHARLOTTE (ROCHESTER), 

Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, at 10 P. M., 

FOE 

OSWEGO, SACKETT'S HARBOR, KINGSTON, CLAYTON, ALEXANDRIA 

BAY, BROCKVILLE, MORRISTOWN, PRESCOTT AND 

OGDENSBURGH, MONTREAL 

AND QUEBEC, 

ronnectlni? «t Oswesro with OSWEGO AND SYKACUSK RAILROAD, for Syracuse, Utica, 
AliiJiiv, and New York. Connecting at Sarkt-tfs Harbor with Stase lor W.atertown. and i\% 
Kinsrslon with the Steamer 13AY OF QUINTE tVr liellevilie and Picton, and with the GKANiJ 
'litUNK RAILWAY both Kast an<l West. Oinnccliiie at Ogdensbuigh with the splendid n<-vv 
M.-amer EMPRESS f<.r Montreal and Qiieb-c; and NORTHERN RAILROAD for Rouse's l\>int, 
tlie Whit/' Mountains. B(«8ton. and aJl {«oints East; and at I'rescott with PRESCOTT ANU 
OTTAWA RAILROAD for Ottawa. 

t^~ Tiains leave BUFFALO fntin Exchanee Street Depot at 3.00 p. m., and connect with 
Steamers at CHARLOTTE, 

Tickets axn be j.mchased of M. D. WILLIAMS, at the Company's Office, QPPQSJTj:. EE^E 
ST. DEPOT, and UNION TICKET OFFICE, No. 17 Exchange St. 

M. RANS>AL.I., A^eiit, 

n EXCHANGE STREET, BUFFALO. 

H. K. THEOOP, Ckn'l Sup't, Oswego, N, Y. 



184 RAILROADS AND 8TEAM1»0ATS. 

NEW YORK CENTRAL RAILROAD. 

Connecting with Hudson River Railroad and Steamers. 




For Buffalo, Niagara Falls, Detroit, Toledo, 
CLEVELAND, CINCINNATI, CHICAGO, 

IVIilivaukee, ITIadlisoii, Rock I§laiid, loiva City, Dubuque, 
Burliugton, i^uiucy, ISt. Paul, ^t. Lioui^ Cairo, &c,, 

EITHER VIA 

SUSPENSION BR1DCE» BUFFAIO, OR NIACARA rAlt,3, 

Lake Shore Railroad, Buf^o and Lake Huron Railrcad, or Great 
Western Railway (Canada). 

THROUaH ZSXFKESS TRAISTS 

Leave Depot of Hudson River Railroad, Thirtieth Street, New York 

at (Ti 2, 4, 6, and 10^ P. m. 



I^eople's Line Steamers. 

ISAAC NEWTON, HENDRICK HUDSON, 

From foot of Canal Street, every evening, at 6 p.m. 

Passengers for Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati, Indianapolis, Terre Haute, Vip^ 
cennes, Louisville, St. Louis, etc., can take Lake Shore Railroad from Buffalo c 
Niagara to Cleveland ; thence by the Cleveland, Columbus, and Cincinnati Rail • 
road, or the Cincinnati, Hamilton, and Dayton Railroad to above places, and all 
Dther points West and Southwest. 

For Through Tickets, apply at the Office of the N. York Central Railroad, 



239 Broadway, corner of Park Place, New York. 

C. B. GREENOUGH, Passenger Agent. 
JOHN H. MORE, Freight Agent. 



RAILROAD ROUTE. 



165 



iSiilT giiTO/ASL ^IW 




Great Western Railway 



BETWEEN 



Niagara Falls, Suspension Bridge, and Detroit, 

Forming, with its connections, the 

SHORTEST AND BEST ROUTE 

Between the Atlantic and the Mississippi. 

TWO THROUGH EXPRESS TRAINS EACH WAY DAILY. 

Iiiixiiriou§ Sleeping Cars 

Attached to each Night Train. 

SMOKING CARS TO ALL DAY TRAINS. 



All the Passenger Coaches on this road have attached to them a Ventilator, hy 
means of which the interior is kept cool and entirely free from dust in summer, 
and uniformly warm in winter. 

1^ Baggage checked through to all Important Points, 

Fare as Low as any other Route. 

1^^ Through Tickets by this Route are for sale at all the principal Ticket Offices 
in the United States and Canada. 

J. CHARLTON, 
THOMAS SWINGARD, General Agent, Hamilton, C. "W. 

General Manager, Hamilton, C. W. 



186 BUSINESS ADVERTISEMENTS. 

WHITma & O'GRADY, 

STORAGE, FORWARDING, 



AND 



AGENTS FOR 

Lake Superior Steamers & Vessels. 

Liberal Cash advances made on Consignments for Sale in this or Eastern Markets. 

FOOT FIRST ST., - - - DETROIT, MICH, 

J. T. Whiting, B. O'Gradt. 

H. B. TUTTLE & SON, 

CLEVELAND, OHIO, 
Represent the following Lake Superior Companies : — 

Lake Superior Iron Co. - - iron Ore. 
"Washington Iron Co. - - - " " 

Morgan Iron Co. - - - - Charcoal Pig Iron. 

Bancroft Iron Co. - - - - " " " 
G-reenwood Iron Co. - - - " " " 

Making Sales, deliverable either on board vessels, at Marquette, or 
at lower Lake ports. 
Office in 

OVIATT'S EXCHANGE, 

Foot of Superior St., 
CLEVELAND, OHIO. 



BUSINT.SB AJ)VJ:K'1I6EMENTS. 

WHITE Sl MAYNARD, 

ATTOKNEYS-AT-LAW 



AND 



SOLICITORS IN CHA.ISrCERY, 

Will Practice in the State and United States Courts in this State and elsewhere— 

FOR CASH. 

Also, Land, Tax, Collection, and Insurance Agents. 
MARQUETTE, Marquette County, Lake Superior, 

"M:iCI^IC3--A.3Sr . 
Peter White. M. H. Matnakd. 



PETER WHITE, 

BANKER, 

MARqUETTS, I.AKE StJP£RIOR, MICHIOAM. 

Detroit and Cleveland 

LIJN^E OF y ^^^ r^ STEAMBOATS. 



The Side-wheel ISLeamers, 



MORNING STAR, 

1,200 Tons, 
Capt. E. R. VIGER, 



MAY aUEEN, 

700 Tons, 
Capt. WM. M'KAy 



Leaving Cleveland and Detroit at Eight o'clock P. M 

Form a DAILY EVENING LINE between Detroit and Cleveland, connecting with 
ail early Morning Trains running East and West. 

Through Tickets for sale on board to all principal cities. 

KEITH & CARTER, Agents, Detroit, Mich. 

L. A. PIERCE, General Agent, Cleveland, Ohio. 



188 



HOTELS. 




iir 



issiei nm 

MACKINAC, MICH,, 
E. A. FRANKS, Propeietor. 



9 



I <^> I 



This old and favorite Hotel is most delightfully situated on the romantic Isiand 
OF Mackinac, within a short distance of the water's edge, and contiguous to the 
Arched Hock, Sugar Loaf, and other Natural Curiosities in which this famed 
Island abounds ; being alike celebrated for its pure air, romantic scenery, and fish- 
ing grounds. 

Mackinac, July, 1864. 



CHIPPEWA HOUSE, 

SA.TJT STE MA.RIE, 

MICHIG-AN". 



This favorite Hotel is pleasantly situated, near the Steamboat Landings, at the 
mouth of the Ship Canal, and in the immediate vicinity of Fort Brady. 
No section of country exceeds the Saut and its vicinity for 

Fishing, Hunting, or Aquatic Sports* 

The table of the Hotel is daily supplied with delightful White Fish, and other 
varieties of the season, no pains being spared to make this house a comfortable 
home for the pleasure-traveler or man of busineee. 

H, P. SMITH, Proprietor. 



HOTELS. 



189 



TREMONT HOUSE, 

MARQUETTE, MICHIGAN. 



■ <^> I 



J. L. ARMSTRONa, Proprietor, 

B3gs leave to inform the Public that this Hotel is now open for the season. Hav- 
ing entirely REFURNISHED it throughout, and introduced all the modern im- 
provements of a 

FIRST-CLASS HOTEL, 

He is now prepared to receive his guests in a manner unsurpassed by any other 

Hou'>e on Lake Superior. 

and hopes, to meet the approval of all who make the House a resort for 

BUSI1\ESS OR PliEASURE. 

Marquette, June \st, 1862. 



St, Mary's Canal 






111 






H. F. Q. d'AIiiaUY, 

This Company now offers for Sale, on reasonable terms, its Mineral, Agricultural, 
and Timber Lands in the Counties of Ontonagon, Houghton, Keweenaw, and Mar- 
quette. All the Company's Lands are described in the records of the Registers of 
Deeds in each of said Counties. 

Applications for any of these Lands may be made to the Resident Agent, and 
will receive prompt attention. 

[^" All persons found trespassing upon the Company's Land will be prosecuted 
to the extent of the law. 

HORATIO BIGELOW, 
Land Agent of the St. Mary's Canal Mineral Land Company. 

July 7, 1862. 



190 



HOTELS. 



I 1 




JEFFERSON AVEiNUE, DETROIT. 

i^. 1^ YOIS , JProprietor. 




NIAGARA FALLS, N. Y. 



HOTELS. ^9 J 

ST. LAWRENCE HALL, 

MONTREAL. 



This splendid Hotel, which is situated in the most beautiful part of the City of 
Montreal, near the Banks and Post-Oflice, is furnished throughout in the best style 
of the New York and Boston Hotels, and comprises a 

DINING SALOON AND CONCERT ROOM, 

unequaled by any Hotel in Canada. 

J^ The TABLE will receive special attention, with the view of rendering it 
equal, if not superior, to any in America. 

mOT AMB ©OILB BATIHIi 

can be had at all hours ; and an Omnibus will always be in attendance on tht 
arrival or departure of Railway Cars and Steamlx>at.s. 

H. HOQAN & CO., Proprietors 

RUSSELL'S HOTEL, 

I^^L^CE STREET, 

QUEBEC, 
(TJ JE> :e> :e: Ti to^^t^ist.) 



This well-managed and most comfortable Hotel, kept by Messrs. Russell, ol 
Quebec, has recently been newly painted and re- furnished throughout. The Ball- 
room, used in summer, when the house is full of strangers, as a dining-room. h;is 
been entirely re-decorated in the handsomest style. The room will comfortably 
dine 250 persons at a time. — Toronto Globe. 



3 



BUSINESS ADVERTISEMENTS. 

COMMEBCIAL 

WII^(0®MiI[Mo 

MARINE RI§KS TAKEM AT CURRENT RATES. 

Capital, $175,000, with a Surplus. 

.TOHN J. TALLMADGE, Pres. G. D. NOERIS, V. Pres. JAS. B. KELLOGG, Sec^. 
E. CRAMER, Treasurer. L. H. LANE, Marine Inspector. 

DIRECTORS. 



F. Layton. 
M B. Medberv. 
M S. Scott. 
D. Ferguson. 
O. E. Britt. 
Alex. Mitchell. 



T. Littell. 



D. Newhall. 



J. Plankinton. E. H Goodrich. 



Chas. F. Ilsley. L. H. Kellogg. E. D. Chapin. 
G. D. Norris. Robert Read. L. Sexton. 
J. T. Bradford. J. Bonnell. G. Bremer. 

E. Cramer. A.L.Hutchinson. J. H. Inbusch. 

William Young. J. H. Cordes. C. T. Bradley. 



T. W. Goodrich 
J. A. Dutcher. 
E. Roddis. 
S. T. Hooker. 
J. J. Tallmadge 



CLEVELAND 

IRON MINING COMPANY, 

Miners and Dealers in 

Lake Superior Iron Ore, 



From their Iron Mountains, at Marquette, Lake Superior, 
OFFICE AT CLEVELAND, OHIO. 



[D)Di^[E©ir©[^^ 



William J. Gordon Cleveland 

John Outhwaite " 

George Worthington *' 

S. D. McMillan '« 



T. P. Handy Cleveland. 

Samuel L. Mather " 

Isaac N. Judson New York. 

M. L. Hewitt Marquette. 

WILLIAM J. GORDON, President. 
SAMUEL L. MATHER, Secretary and Treasurer. 



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